Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

यन्नामसङ्कीर्त्तनतो खलानां समस्तपापानि लयं प्रयान्ति । तमीशमीड्यं पुरुषं पुराणं नताःस्म विष्णुं पुरुषार्थसिद्ध्यै ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

yannāmasaṅkīrttanato khalānāṃ samastapāpāni layaṃ prayānti | tamīśamīḍyaṃ puruṣaṃ purāṇaṃ natāḥsma viṣṇuṃ puruṣārthasiddhyai || 56 ||

Translation

Durch das bloße Singen Seines Namens lösen sich selbst die Sünden der Frevler auf und gehen zu Ende. Wir verneigen uns vor Viṣṇu, dem preiswürdigen Herrn, der uralten, ursprünglichen Person, zur Erlangung der Ziele des menschlichen Lebens.

Word by Word

• yat: whose
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; ‘whose’ (relative)

• nāma-saṅkīrtanataḥ: from the chanting of (his) name
• nāma-saṅkīrtanataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkīrtana (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: नाम्नः सङ्कीर्तनम्; तस्मात् (ablative sense); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• khalānām: of the wicked
• khalānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• samasta-pāpāni: all sins
• samasta-pāpāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: समस्तानि पापानि; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• layam: dissolution
• layam: Gati/Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prayānti: go/attain
• prayānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• īśam: the Lord
• īśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; tam-अप्पोजिशन

• īḍyam: worthy of praise
• īḍyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īḍ (धातु) + ईड्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: कर्तव्य/योग्य-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘praiseworthy/fit to be praised’

• puruṣam: the Person
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• purāṇam: ancient
• purāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; puruṣam-विशेषण

• natāḥ: bowed
• natāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nam (धातु) + नत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• smaḥ: are
• smaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• viṣṇum: Vishnu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• puruṣa-artha-siddhyai: for the attainment of human goals
• puruṣa-artha-siddhyai: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: पुरुषस्य अर्थाः (goals) तेषां सिद्धिः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It proclaims the purifying potency of Viṣṇu-nāma: mere saṅkīrtana causes even entrenched sin to dissolve, and devotion culminates in puruṣārtha-siddhi—especially mokṣa.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is presented as accessible and efficacious: praising and chanting the Lord’s Name (nāma-saṅkīrtana) is itself a direct means of purification and surrender (namas), oriented toward realizing the supreme Puruṣa, Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a technical Vedāṅga passage, it implies disciplined mantra/nāma recitation—where correct sound and articulation (Śikṣā) and accurate word-form (Vyākaraṇa) support effective kīrtana and remembrance.