Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

Devanagari script

जयध्वज उवाच । शृणुष्व विप्रशार्दूल मयैवाचरितं पुरा । जातिस्मरत्वाज्जानामि श्रोतॄणां विस्मयप्रदम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

jayadhvaja uvāca | śṛṇuṣva vipraśārdūla mayaivācaritaṃ purā | jātismaratvājjānāmi śrotṝṇāṃ vismayapradam || 23 ||

Translation

Jayadhvaja sprach: „Höre, o Tiger unter den Brahmanen, was ich einst in früherer Zeit selbst vollbrachte. Da ich die Erinnerung an frühere Geburten besitze, weiß ich es — und es wird die Zuhörer in Staunen versetzen.“

Word by Word

• जयध्वजः: Jayadhvaja
• जयध्वजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; speaker designation

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Prayojaka/Addressed (सम्बोधन-प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• विप्र-शार्दूल: O best of brahmins
• विप्र-शार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; vocative ‘tiger among brahmins’

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental ‘by me’

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis particle (निपात)

• आचरितम्: done/practised
• आचरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘practised/done’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; time adverb (कालवाचक)

• जाति-स्मरत्वात्: due to recollection of past births
• जाति-स्मरत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मरत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Ablative ‘because of remembering former births’

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• श्रोतॄणाम्: of the listeners
• श्रोतॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्र्/श्रोतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive ‘of listeners’

• विस्मय-प्रदम्: wonder-causing
• विस्मय-प्रदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘giving wonder’ (qualifying आचरितम्/इदम् understood)

Speaker

Jayadhvaja

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Jayadhvaja

FAQs

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

The verse establishes the authority of lived spiritual memory—jātismaratva (recollection of past births)—as a narrative device to convey dharma and karmic lessons with experiential certainty, preparing the listener for a transformative account.

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

Indirectly, it sets a devotional-ethical context: a credible personal history is about to be shared so that hearers develop śraddhā (faith) and receptivity—key prerequisites for sustained Vishnu Bhakti and disciplined practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; it functions as a narrative preface emphasizing testimony (anubhava) and remembrance as tools for instruction.