Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

यः केशिहन्ता नरकान्तकश्च बालो भुजाग्रेण दधार गोत्रम् । देवं च भूभारविनोदशीलं तं वासुदेवं सततं नतोऽस्मि ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

yaḥ keśihantā narakāntakaśca bālo bhujāgreṇa dadhāra gotram | devaṃ ca bhūbhāravinodaśīlaṃ taṃ vāsudevaṃ satataṃ nato'smi || 29 ||

Translation

I ever bow to Vāsudeva: He who slew Keśin and ended Naraka; who, while still a child, lifted the mountain upon the tip of His arm; and who, as the divine Lord, delights in removing the burden of the earth.

Word by Word

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

• keśi-hantā: slayer of Keśin
• keśi-hantā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśin (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) + tṛ (कृत्) → hantṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: केशिनः हन्ता (slayer of Keśin)

• naraka-antakaḥ: destroyer of Naraka
• naraka-antakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक) + antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: नरकस्य अन्तकः (ender of Naraka)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक निपात)

• bālaḥ: (as a) child
• bālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• bhujāgreṇa: with the tip of (his) arm
• bhujāgreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuja (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; तत्पुरुष: भुजायाः अग्रेण (with the tip of the arm)

• dadhāra: held/bore
• dadhāra: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• gotram: the mountain (Govardhana)/clan; here 'mountain'
• gotram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• bhū-bhāra-vinoda-śīlam: whose nature is to remove the earth’s burden
• bhū-bhāra-vinoda-śīlam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vinoda (प्रातिपदिक) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: भूभारस्य विनोदः (removal) तस्मिन् शीलम् (nature)

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

• vāsudevam: Vāsudeva
• vāsudevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; proper noun

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

• nataḥ: bowed
• nataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nam (धातु) + ta (कृत्) → nata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त) used predicatively

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person, Singular; Parasmaipada

Speaker

Sūta (narrating; verse as a stuti/invocation within the Purāṇic discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa/Vishnu)
• Keśin
• Naraka
• Govardhana

FAQs

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

It functions as a concentrated stuti: remembering Vāsudeva’s līlās (slaying Keśin, ending Naraka, lifting Govardhana) reinforces śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in the Lord who actively protects dharma and removes the world’s burden.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as satataṃ namana—continuous reverence—grounded in recollection of the Lord’s compassionate acts. The devotee contemplates divine protection and responds with steady surrender and praise.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; its practical takeaway is devotional discipline—daily smaraṇa and namaskāra to Vāsudeva as part of Purāṇic sādhana.