Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

शिवस्वरूपी शिवभक्तिभाजां यो विष्णुरूपी हरिभावितानाम् । सङ्कल्पपूर्वात्मकदेहहेतुस्तमेव नित्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

śivasvarūpī śivabhaktibhājāṃ yo viṣṇurūpī haribhāvitānām | saṅkalpapūrvātmakadehahetustameva nityaṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye || 28 ||

Translation

I eternally take refuge in Him alone: to Śiva’s devotees He appears as Śiva, and to those whose hearts are absorbed in Hari He appears as Viṣṇu. He is the very cause of embodied existence, arising from prior intention and the subtle ātman.

Word by Word

• śiva-svarūpī: having Śiva as (his) form
• śiva-svarūpī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + sva-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + in (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: शिवस्य स्वरूपः (having Śiva as own form)

• śiva-bhakti-bhājām: of those who partake in devotion to Śiva
• śiva-bhakti-bhājām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: शिवे भक्तिः यस्य/येषां ते (devotees of Śiva)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; relative pronoun

• viṣṇu-rūpī: having the form of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu-rūpī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः रूपी)

• hari-bhāvitānām: of those devoted/imbued with Hari
• hari-bhāvitānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural; तत्पुरुष: हरिणा भाविताः (those inspired/imbued by Hari)

• saṅkalpa-pūrva-ātmaka-deha-hetuḥ: the cause of the body formed by prior resolve
• saṅkalpa-pūrva-ātmaka-deha-hetuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅkalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: (सङ्कल्पपूर्वः आत्मकः देहः) तस्य हेतुः—cause of the body constituted by prior resolve

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) of emphasis

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण द्वितीया)

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• prapadye: I take refuge
• prapadye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-pad (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person, Singular; Ātmanepada

Speaker

Nārada (in a devotional/refuge declaration within the teaching context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Hari
• Atman

FAQs

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

It teaches a unitive theology: the one Supreme is approached through different devotional dispositions, manifesting as Śiva for Śiva-bhaktas and as Viṣṇu for Hari-bhaktas, and thus refuge is taken in that single ultimate reality.

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

Bhakti is presented as mind-orientation (bhāva): when the devotee is absorbed in Śiva or Hari, the Lord is realized accordingly; the verse culminates in śaraṇāgati—exclusive surrender to the Supreme beyond sectarian division.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is sādhana-oriented—purifying saṅkalpa (intention) and fixing devotion, since intention is linked here to the cause of embodied experience.