Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

Varṇāśrama-ācāra: Common Virtues, Varṇa Duties, and the Four Āśramas

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । कथितं भवता सर्वं मुने तत्त्वार्थकोविद । व्रताख्यानं महापुण्यं यथावद्धरिभक्तिदम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | kathitaṃ bhavatā sarvaṃ mune tattvārthakovida | vratākhyānaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ yathāvaddharibhaktidam || 2 ||

Translation

Narada said: O sage, knower of the true meaning of tattva, you have explained everything. Now tell, properly, the account of the vow—most meritorious—for it bestows devotion (bhakti) to Hari (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• nāradaḥ: Nārada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kathitam: has been told
• kathitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि: "has been told"

• bhavatā: by you (sir)
• bhavatā: Kartṛ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भवत्-शब्द (honorific pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as object-content "everything"

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• tattva-artha-kovida: O knower of the true meaning
• tattva-artha-kovida: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ("knower of the meaning of truth/principles"), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• vrata-ākhyānam: the vow-narrative
• vrata-ākhyānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ("narration of the vow"), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mahā-puṇyam: highly meritorious
• mahā-puṇyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ("greatly meritorious"), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of vratākhyānam)

• yathāvat: properly
• yathāvat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण: "properly"

• hari-bhakti-dam: granting devotion to Hari
• hari-bhakti-dam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + da (धातु) + a (प्रातिपदिक/कृत्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ("giver of Hari-devotion"), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of vratākhyānam)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: unspecified Hari-vrata (vratākhyāna requested)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse frames vratas (sacred vows) not merely as merit-producing rituals, but as disciplined practices meant to culminate in Hari-bhakti—devotion to Vishnu—when performed yathāvat (according to proper injunctions and spirit).

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

Narada explicitly asks for a vrata-akhyana that is “haribhaktidam,” indicating that devotion is nurtured through dharmic observances undertaken with correct method and intention, where the end-goal is loving attachment to Hari.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The key practical emphasis is yathāvat—doing the vow correctly—pointing to ritual precision aligned with Kalpa (procedural discipline) and Dharma-shastra style observance, even though no specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana or Jyotisha) is named in this verse.