Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

प्रह्लादं गोपयन् दैत्यं शिलातिकठिनोरसम् । विदार्य हतवान् यो हि तं नृसिंहं नतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

prahlādaṃ gopayan daityaṃ śilātikaṭhinorasam | vidārya hatavān yo hi taṃ nṛsiṃhaṃ nato'smyaham || 39 ||

Translation

I bow to Lord Nṛsiṃha, who, protecting Prahlāda, tore open and slew the demon whose chest was hard as stone.

Word by Word

• prahlādam: Prahlada
• prahlādam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahlāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• gopayan: protecting
• gopayan: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gup (धातु)
• Form: Present Active Participle (Shatri), Masculine, Nominative, Singular. (Causative form).

• daityam: the demon (Hiranyakashipu)
• daityam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śilātikaṭhinorasam: whose chest was harder than stone
• śilātikaṭhinorasam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śilātikaṭhinorasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular. Lit: He whose chest (uras) is harder (kaṭhina) than stone (śilā).

• vidārya: having ripped apart
• vidārya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi + dṛ (धातु)
• Form: Lyap Gerund (Absolutive).

• hatavān: killed
• hatavān: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Past Active Participle (Ktavatu), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• tam: to Him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• nṛsiṃham: Narasimha (Man-Lion)
• nṛsiṃham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛsiṃha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular. (Man-Lion).

• nataḥ: bowed
• nataḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nam (धातु) -> nata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat/लट्), 1st Person (Uttama), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narasimha
• Vishnu
• Prahlada

FAQs

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

It presents Nṛsiṃha as the supreme protector of the devotee: the Lord intervenes decisively to preserve bhakta-rakṣaṇa (protection of the devotee) and to destroy adharma, even when the foe seems invincible.

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

By centering on Prahlāda’s protection, the verse teaches śaraṇāgati (taking refuge): steadfast devotion draws the Lord’s grace, and remembrance with reverence (“nato ’smy aham”) becomes an act of bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is directly taught here; the practical takeaway is stotra-prayoga—devotional recitation and namaskāra as a bhakti-oriented discipline.