Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

हरिरूपधरं लिङ्गं लिङ्गरूपधरो हरिः । ईषदप्यन्तरं नास्ति भेदकृच्चानयोः कुधीः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

harirūpadharaṃ liṅgaṃ liṅgarūpadharo hariḥ | īṣadapyantaraṃ nāsti bhedakṛccānayoḥ kudhīḥ || 44 ||

Translation

The Liṅga bears the form of Hari, and Hari bears the form of the Liṅga. There is not even the slightest difference between them; one who makes a distinction between the two is of misguided understanding.

Word by Word

• हरि-रूप-धरम्: bearing Hari’s form
• हरि-रूप-धरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धृ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa ‘bearing Hari’s form’; qualifies ‘liṅgam’

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• लिङ्ग-रूप-धरः: bearer of liṅga-form
• लिङ्ग-रूप-धरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धृ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa ‘bearing liṅga-form’; predicate/appositive to ‘hariḥ’

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ईषत्: even slightly
• ईषत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ईषत् (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (परिमाणवाचक अव्यय) ‘slightly’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात) ‘even’

• अन्तरम्: difference, gap
• अन्तरम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—of ‘nāsti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negative particle (निषेध-निपात)

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• भेद-कृत्: one who makes distinctions
• भेद-कृत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa ‘maker of difference’; used as qualifier of ‘kudhīḥ’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चय-निपात) ‘and’

• अनयोः: of these two
• अनयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); ‘of these two’ (Hari and Liṅga / Liṅga and Hari)

• कुधीः: a foolish person
• कुधीः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—implied ‘is/should be avoided’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘bad-minded person’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Linga (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It teaches Hari–Hara aikya: the Divine is one, and seeing a real separation between Viṣṇu (Hari) and Śiva (Liṅga) is considered spiritual misunderstanding.

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

It directs devotees to practice bhakti without sectarian hostility—honoring Hari while not denigrating Śiva (and vice versa), since both are presented as mutually pervading forms of the same Supreme reality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa ritual procedure) is taught here; the practical takeaway is dharmic conduct in worship—avoid bheda (divisive thinking) in devotional practice.