Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Uttaṅka’s Hymn, Hari’s Manifestation, and the Boon of Bhakti

Devanagari script

किं मां मोहयसीश त्वं किमन्यैर्देव मे वरैः । त्वयि भक्तिर्दृढा मेऽस्तु जन्मजन्मान्तरेष्वपि ॥ ४७ ॥

Transliteration

kiṃ māṃ mohayasīśa tvaṃ kimanyairdeva me varaiḥ | tvayi bhaktirdṛḍhā me'stu janmajanmāntareṣvapi || 47 ||

Translation

O Herr, warum verwirrst Du mich? O Gott, wozu taugen mir andere Gaben? Möge meine Bhakti zu Dir fest sein — von Geburt zu Geburt.

Word by Word

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: हेतु/प्रश्न (प्रश्नार्थक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun used adverbially (why/what)

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• मोहयसि: you delude
• मोहयसि: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; causative (णिच्) sense: ‘to delude’

• ईश: O Lord
• ईश: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: हेतु/प्रश्न (प्रश्नार्थक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative used adverbially

• अन्यैः: with others
• अन्यैः: करण (Karana/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• देव: O god
• देव: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन (genitive enclitic)

• वरैः: by boons
• वरैः: करण (Karana/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• त्वयि: in you
• त्वयि: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• दृढा: firm
• दृढा: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with ‘भक्तिः’

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive enclitic)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; used as first member in compound

• जन्म-अन्तरेषु: in other births
• जन्म-अन्तरेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘जन्मान्तर’ = other births

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: समुच्चय/अवधारण (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (emphasis/also/even)

Speaker

A devotee addressing the Lord (Īśa/Deva), within the Narada Purana’s bhakti-oriented dialogue stream

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Isha (Lord)
• Deva (God)

FAQs

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

It elevates bhakti above all other attainments, showing that the highest “boon” is unwavering devotion to the Lord, sustained across successive births.

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

It portrays pure devotion (ananya-bhakti): the devotee refuses secondary rewards and asks only for dṛḍha-bhakti—steady, exclusive attachment to the Lord as the enduring spiritual practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Chandas, Nirukta, Jyotiṣa, Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is devotional priority—choose sādhanā of bhakti over desire-driven requests.