Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

तन्निशम्यावनीपाल ईशानं सर्वकारणम् । समस्त देवताराजमस्तौषीद्भक्तितत्परः ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

tanniśamyāvanīpāla īśānaṃ sarvakāraṇam | samasta devatārājamastauṣīdbhaktitatparaḥ || 77 ||

Translation

Als er dies vernahm, pries der König, ganz der Bhakti hingegeben, Īśāna, die Ursache aller Ursachen, den erhabenen Herrn über alle Gottheiten.

Word by Word

• tat: that (speech)
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Accusative Singular; object of ‘hearing’

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śam (धातु) with ni- (उपसर्ग) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Gerund/Absolutive (ल्यबन्त), √śam/śru-meaning ‘to hear’ in usage of √śam with ni- (niśam-) ‘having heard’

• avanī-pālaḥ: the king (protector of the earth)
• avanī-pālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avanī (प्रातिपदिक) + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘avanēḥ pālaḥ’

• īśānam: Īśāna (the Lord)
• īśānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular

• sarva-kāraṇam: the cause of all
• sarva-kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘sarvaṃ kāraṇam’ used as epithet of īśānam

• samasta: all, entire
• samasta: Karma (कर्म; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक; from sam-√as)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular; adjective to devatārājam

• devatā-rājam: king of the gods
• devatā-rājam: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to īśānam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘devatānāṃ rājā’

• astauṣīt: praised
• astauṣīt: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु) with ā- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person Singular, Parasmaipada; √stu with ā- ‘praised’

• bhakti-tatparaḥ: intent on devotion
• bhakti-tatparaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of avanīpālaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + tatpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘bhaktau tatparaḥ’ (locative sense) ‘devoted to devotion’

Speaker

Narrator (Purana narrator in the Narada Purana dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Īśāna

FAQs

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

It presents the ideal devotional response: after receiving sacred instruction, the king turns to stuti, recognizing the Lord as the universal cause (sarva-kāraṇa) and the inner sovereignty behind all deities.

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

Bhakti is shown as attentive hearing followed by heartfelt praise—an orientation of the mind (tat-paraḥ) toward the Supreme, seeing Him as the one Lord even amid many devatās.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is directly taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the devotional practice of stuti (praise) as a disciplined spiritual act.