Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

द्वितीयं विष्णुसंज्ञस्य योगिध्येयं महामते । अमूर्तं ब्रह्मणो रूपं यत्सदित्युच्यते बुधैः ॥ ४५ ॥

Transliteration

dvitīyaṃ viṣṇusaṃjñasya yogidhyeyaṃ mahāmate | amūrtaṃ brahmaṇo rūpaṃ yatsadityucyate budhaiḥ || 45 ||

Translation

O great-minded one, the second mode of contemplation of Him who is known as Viṣṇu—worthy of yogins’ meditation—is the formless form of Brahman, which the wise call “Sat,” pure Being.

Word by Word

• द्वितीयम्: second
• द्वितीयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• विष्णु-संज्ञस्य: of the one named ‘Viṣṇu’
• विष्णु-संज्ञस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण

• योगि-ध्येयम्: to be meditated upon by yogins
• योगि-ध्येयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्येय (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (योगिनां ध्येयम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् मतिः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

• अमूर्तम्: formless
• अमूर्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• सत्: ‘sat’ (being/existence)
• सत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (सत् = being/existence)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahman
• Yogins

FAQs

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

It defines a yogic contemplation where Viṣṇu is understood as the formless Brahman—‘Sat’, the ultimate Reality—shifting devotion from a limited image to direct realization of pure Being.

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

It refines bhakti into contemplative devotion: the devotee honors Viṣṇu not only as a personal deity but as the unmanifest ground of existence, making meditation itself an act of worship leading to moksha.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily Moksha-Dharma and yoga-oriented rather than Vedāṅga-technical; its practical takeaway is disciplined dhyāna (meditative focus) on the concept of Sat as taught in Upaniṣadic Brahman-vidyā.