Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

रिपवस्तं न हिंसन्ति न बाधन्ते ग्रहाश्च तम् । राक्षसाश्च न चेक्षन्ते नरं विष्णुपरायणम् ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

ripavastaṃ na hiṃsanti na bādhante grahāśca tam | rākṣasāśca na cekṣante naraṃ viṣṇuparāyaṇam || 5 ||

Translation

Feinde können ihm nicht schaden, noch bedrängen ihn die Gestirne; selbst Rākṣasas wagen nicht, den Menschen anzublicken, der ganz auf Viṣṇu ausgerichtet ist.

Word by Word

• रिपवः: enemies
• रिपवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• हिंसन्ति: harm
• हिंसन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हिंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• बाधन्ते: afflict/torment
• बाधन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ग्रहाः: planets/seizers (grahas)
• ग्रहाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• राक्षसाः: demons
• राक्षसाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• च: even
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (here: ‘even/also’ in combination with negation: ‘not even’)

• ईक्षन्ते: look at/see
• ईक्षन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नरम्: a man/person
• नरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विष्णु-परायणम्: devoted to Vishnu
• विष्णु-परायणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘विष्णौ परायणः’ = devoted to Vishnu), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (नरम्)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Grahāḥ
• Rākṣasāḥ

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that single-pointed refuge in Viṣṇu (viṣṇu-parāyaṇatā) becomes a spiritual shield: external hostility, unseen forces, and demonic disturbances lose their power over the devotee.

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

It presents bhakti as parāyaṇa—making Viṣṇu the highest aim and sole refuge—implying that steadfast devotion brings inner fearlessness and divine safeguarding beyond ordinary worldly protections.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse alludes to Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology) through “grahāḥ,” indicating that planetary afflictions (graha-bādha/graha-doṣa) are mitigated for one established in Viṣṇu-bhakti.