Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

शौनक उवाच । नमः पराय देवाय परस्मात् परमाय च । परावरनिवासाय सगुणायागुणाय च ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

śaunaka uvāca | namaḥ parāya devāya parasmāt paramāya ca | parāvaranivāsāya saguṇāyāguṇāya ca || 21 ||

Translation

Śaunaka sprach: Ehrerbietung dem höchsten Herrn—höher als das Höchste, jenseits selbst des Jenseits—der Wohnstatt der höheren und niederen Bereiche, zugleich mit Eigenschaften und ohne Eigenschaften.

Word by Word

• śaunakaḥ: Shaunaka
• śaunakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaunaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Lit Lakara (Perfect/लिट्), Parasmaipada, Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

• namaḥ: salutations
• namaḥ: None (Upapada Vibhakti indicator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable noun used for salutation

• parāya: to the Supreme
• parāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• devāya: to the God
• devāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• parasmāt: than the supreme/high
• parasmāt: Apadana (Source/Comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• paramāya: to the highest/best
• paramāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• parāvaranivāsāya: to the one residing in high and low (everywhere)
• parāvaranivāsāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parāvaranivāsa (para-avara-nivāsa)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• saguṇāya: to the one with attributes
• saguṇāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saguṇa (sa-guṇa)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• aguṇāya: to the one without attributes (transcendent)
• aguṇāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aguṇa (a-guṇa)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Śaunaka

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

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

It opens the discourse with a comprehensive salutation to the Supreme who transcends all ranks of existence, yet also supports all levels of reality—affirming both transcendence (nirguṇa) and accessibility (saguṇa) for devotion and realization.

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

By addressing the Lord as both saguṇa and aguṇa, the verse legitimizes devotion to a personal form while recognizing the same reality as ultimately attributeless—allowing bhakti to culminate in liberating knowledge without rejecting worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse mainly conveys Vedāntic theology rather than a specific Vedāṅga practice; practically, it models correct mantra-style address (stuti with precise epithets), aligning with śikṣā (recitation discipline) and vyākaraṇa (compound meanings like parāvara-nivāsa).