Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu
Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ
येनेदमखिलं जातं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । गङ्गापादोदकं यस्य स कथं ज्ञायते हरिः ॥ १८ ॥
yenedamakhilaṃ jātaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṅgamam | gaṅgāpādodakaṃ yasya sa kathaṃ jñāyate hariḥ || 18 ||
By Him this entire universe—both the immovable and the moving—has come into being; and the waters of the Gaṅgā are the washing of His feet. How can that Hari ever be fully known by ordinary means?
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
The verse exalts Hari as the source of all creation (sthāvara and jaṅgama) and identifies Gaṅgā as His pāda-udaka, implying that the Supreme cannot be grasped completely by mere intellect; reverence, devotion, and sacred association (tīrtha) are emphasized.
By portraying Hari as immeasurable and yet approachable through sacred signs like Gaṅgā (His foot-water), it points to bhakti as the practical means—humble worship, remembrance, and honoring His sacred manifestations—rather than relying only on speculative knowing.
Direct Vedāṅga technique is not taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is tīrtha-dharma aligned with śāstric tradition—treating Gaṅgā as pāda-udaka and approaching the Divine through sanctioned sacred practice rather than purely analytical inquiry.