Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

जपन्तः प्रणवं नित्यं मुच्यन्ते सर्वपातकैः । तदभ्यासेन संयुक्ताः परं मोक्षं लभन्ति च ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

japantaḥ praṇavaṃ nityaṃ mucyante sarvapātakaiḥ | tadabhyāsena saṃyuktāḥ paraṃ mokṣaṃ labhanti ca || 58 ||

Translation

Wer beständig den Pranava (Oṁ) wiederholt, wird von allen Sünden befreit; und, mit der standhaften Übung dieses Japa verbunden, erlangt er auch die höchste Befreiung (Moksha).

Word by Word

• जपन्तः: (those) chanting
• जपन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदी धातु

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• मुच्यन्ते: are freed
• मुच्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

• सर्वपातकैः: from all sins
• सर्वपातकैः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (all + sins)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन)

• अभ्यासेन: by practice
• अभ्यासेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• संयुक्ताः: endowed/connected
• संयुक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (मोक्षम्)

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• लभन्ति: attain
• लभन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dialogue on dharma and liberation)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It declares Oṁ (Pranava) as a direct liberating practice: constant japa removes even grave sins and, when sustained as disciplined abhyāsa, culminates in supreme moksha.

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

By prescribing continuous remembrance through mantra-japa, it frames devotion as steady, daily absorption in the divine sound-symbol (Oṁ), where purity (freedom from pāpa) matures into liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical discipline is mantra-prayoga (correct daily japa and sustained abhyāsa); it implicitly relies on Śikṣā (proper pronunciation) and Vyākaraṇa (sound/phonetic clarity) to keep the Pranava recitation precise.