Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Uttaṅka’s Hymn, Hari’s Manifestation, and the Boon of Bhakti

Devanagari script

नमाम्यहं वेदनिधिं मुरारिं । वेदान्तविज्ञानसुनिश्चितार्थम् । सूर्येन्दुवत् प्रोज्ज्वलनेत्रमिन्द्रं । खगस्वरूपं वपतिस्वरूपम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

namāmyahaṃ vedanidhiṃ murāriṃ | vedāntavijñānasuniścitārtham | sūryenduvat projjvalanetramindraṃ | khagasvarūpaṃ vapatisvarūpam || 31 ||

Translation

I bow to Murāri, the treasure-house of the Vedas, whose meaning is firmly ascertained through realized knowledge of Vedānta; to the sovereign Lord whose eyes blaze like the sun and the moon; who assumes the form of a bird, and who is Himself the Lord of beings.

Word by Word

• namāmi: I bow to
• namāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (नम् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person, Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• veda-nidhim: treasury of the Vedas
• veda-nidhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (वेद) + nidhi (निधि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘treasure of the Vedas’

• murā-rim: Murāri (slayer of Mura)
• murā-rim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: murā (मुरा प्रातिपदिक) + ari (अरि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘murāyāḥ ariḥ’ (enemy of Mura)

• veda-anta-vijñāna-su-niścita-artham: whose purport is well ascertained by Vedānta-knowledge
• veda-anta-vijñāna-su-niścita-artham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (वेद) + anta (अन्त) + vijñāna (विज्ञान) + su (सु अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + niścita (निश्चित; PPP from √ci) + artha (अर्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘vedāntavijñānena su-niścitaḥ arthaḥ yasya’ (whose meaning is well-determined by Vedānta-knowledge)

• sūrya-indu-vat: like the sun and moon
• sūrya-indu-vat: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sūrya (सूर्य) + indu (इन्दु) + vat (वत् तद्धित)
• Form: Adverbial comparative (उपमा-अव्यय): ‘like the sun and moon’

• projjvala-netram: having brilliantly radiant eyes
• projjvala-netram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-ujjvala (प्र+उज्ज्वल प्रातिपदिक) + netra (नेत्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारय: ‘projjvalaṃ netraṃ yasya’ (having very radiant eyes)

• indram: the lord
• indram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (इन्द्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; epithet ‘lord/king’

• khaga-svarūpam: having the form of a bird
• khaga-svarūpam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khaga (खग प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (स्वरूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘having the form of a bird’

• vapati-svarūpam: having the form of Vapati (as named)
• vapati-svarūpam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vapati (वपति; ‘weaver’/‘one who spreads’; as noun-stem) + svarūpa (स्वरूप)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; tatpurusha: ‘vapateḥ svarūpam’ (having the form of Vapati). Note: reading/meaning depends on tradition; form treated as proper-name compound.

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Murari)
• Khaga (bird-form of Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It frames Vishnu (Murāri) as the living source and secure meaning of the Vedas, implying that true liberation-oriented understanding (Vedānta-vijñāna) culminates in reverent surrender and praise of the Supreme Lord.

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

The verse models bhakti through namaskāra (bowing) and stuti (praise), presenting devotion as grounded in right knowledge—Vedānta’s realized insight leading naturally to worship of Vishnu’s supreme lordship and compassionate guardianship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not teaching a specific Vedāṅga technique, it highlights the Vedāntic method of niścaya (firm ascertainment of meaning) through vijñāna (realized understanding), a key hermeneutic principle used alongside disciplines like Vyākaraṇa and Mīmāṃsā to establish scriptural purport.