Shloka 44

The Description of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya): Avimukta, Kapālamocana, and Śiva’s Purification

Devanagari script

अघहर रघुनाथ यादवेश प्रियभूदेव परात्परामरेज्य । हलधर दुरितापह प्रणम्य त्रिगुणव्याप्त जगत्त्रिकालदक्ष ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

aghahara raghunātha yādaveśa priyabhūdeva parātparāmarejya | haladhara duritāpaha praṇamya triguṇavyāpta jagattrikāladakṣa || 44 ||

Translation

Ich verneige mich vor dir—Vertilger der Sünde; Raghunātha, Herr des Raghu-Geschlechts; Gebieter der Yādavas; Geliebter der Erde und der Götter; Höchster jenseits des Höchsten, würdig der Verehrung der Unsterblichen; Träger des Pfluges; Zerstörer des Unheils—du, der die drei Guṇas durchdringt und das Weltall kundig durch die drei Zeiten lenkt.

Word by Word

• agha-hara: O remover of sin
• agha-hara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (‘अघं हरति’ इति); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• raghu-nātha: O lord of the Raghu line
• raghu-nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu (प्रातिपदिक) + nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• yādava-īśa: O lord of the Yādavas
• yādava-īśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yādava (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• priya-bhū-deva: O beloved Bhūdeva (deity of Earth / dear to the earth)
• priya-bhū-deva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (‘प्रियः भूदेवः’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• parāt-para-amara-ijya: O one beyond the beyond, worshipped by the immortals
• parāt-para-amara-ijya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāt (अव्यय/उपपद) + para (प्रातिपदिक) + amara (प्रातिपदिक) + ijya (कृदन्त; √yaj यज्, यत्/ण्यत् ‘worthy of worship’)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (‘परात् परः’ + ‘अमरैः इज्यः’); ‘ijya’ = कर्मणि कृदन्त ‘worship-worthy’. पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hala-dhara: O plough-bearer
• hala-dhara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hala (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (‘हलम् धरति’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• durita-apaha: O remover of misfortune
• durita-apaha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durita (प्रातिपदिक) + apaha (प्रातिपदिक; from √hā हा with apa-, ‘remover’)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (‘दुरितं अपहन्ति’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √nam नम् (धातु) with pra-; praṇamya (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having bowed’

• tri-guṇa-vyāpta: O one pervading the three guṇas
• tri-guṇa-vyāpta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāpta (कृदन्त; √āp आप् with vi-, क्त)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष; ‘vyāpta’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘pervaded’. पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, एकवचन

• jagat-tri-kāla-dakṣa: O one skilled regarding the world across the three times
• jagat-tri-kāla-dakṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + tri (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (‘जगत्’ + ‘त्रिकाले दक्षः’); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (stotra-style invocation within the Uttara-Bhaga narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Rama
• Krishna
• Balarama
• Devas
• Bhumi (Earth)

FAQs

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

It functions as a concentrated Vishnu-stuti: by invoking Hari through Rama–Krishna–Balarama epithets, the verse emphasizes pāpa-kṣaya (destruction of sin) and refuge in the Lord who pervades all guṇas and governs time itself.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as nāma-smaraṇa and praṇāma—reverent remembrance and surrender—trusting that the Lord who is “duritāpaha” removes inner and outer obstacles for the devotee.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught; the practical takeaway is stotra-recitation (mantra-like praise) as a devotional discipline, aligned with Purāṇic prayoga for pāpa-śamana and auspiciousness.