Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52

Śuka’s Yoga-ascent, the Echo of ‘Bhoḥ’, and the Vaikuṇṭha Vision

Devanagari script

हंसाय मत्स्यरूपाय वाराहतनुधारिणे । नृसिंहाय ध्रुवेज्याय सांख्ययोगेश्वराय च ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

haṃsāya matsyarūpāya vārāhatanudhāriṇe | nṛsiṃhāya dhruvejyāya sāṃkhyayogeśvarāya ca || 52 ||

Translation

Salutations to the Lord as Haṃsa; to Him who assumed the form of the Fish; to the Bearer of the Boar-body; to Narasiṃha; to the revered deity worshipped by Dhruva; and to the Supreme Lord of Sāṅkhya and Yoga as well.

Word by Word

• हंसाय: to Haṃsa (the Swan form)
• हंसाय: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• मत्स्य-रूपाय: to the fish-form (Matsya)
• मत्स्य-रूपाय: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मत्स्यस्य रूपम्)

• वाराह-तनु-धारिणे: to the bearer of the boar body (Varāha)
• वाराह-तनु-धारिणे: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराह (प्रातिपदिक) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वाराहतनुं धारयति इति)

• नृ-सिंहाय: to Narasiṃha
• नृ-सिंहाय: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (नरः सिंहः इव)

• ध्रुव-इज्याय: to the one worshipped by Dhruva / worthy of Dhruva’s worship
• ध्रुव-इज्याय: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक) + इज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ध्रुवस्य इज्या/पूज्यः)

• सांख्य-योग-ईश्वराय: to the Lord of Sāṃkhya and Yoga
• सांख्य-योग-ईश्वराय: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सांख्यस्य योगस्य च ईश्वरः)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Haṃsa
• Matsya
• Varāha
• Nṛsiṃha
• Dhruva

FAQs

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

It gathers multiple manifestations of Vishnu into a single act of remembrance (smaraṇa) and salutation (namas), teaching that one Supreme Lord protects, teaches, and liberates through diverse avatāras—supporting Moksha Dharma through bhakti.

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

By offering repeated salutations to Vishnu’s forms and recalling Dhruva’s worship, the verse models bhakti as steady praise, memory, and surrender to the Lord who responds to devotees in many ways.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily stotra-oriented rather than technical Vedāṅga instruction; practically, it reflects disciplined recitation and remembrance (a bhakti practice) rather than topics like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.