Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

गुरुस्तोत्रं जपेच्चापि तद्गतेनांतरात्मना । नमस्ते नाथ भगवञ्शिवाय गुरुरूपिणे ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

gurustotraṃ japeccāpi tadgatenāṃtarātmanā | namaste nātha bhagavañśivāya gururūpiṇe || 4 ||

Translation

Debe recitarse también el himno al Gurú, con el alma interior absorta en Él. «¡Salve a Ti, oh Nātha, Bhagavān Śiva, que te manifiestas en la forma del Gurú!»

Word by Word

• गुरुस्तोत्रम्: the hymn to the guru
• गुरुस्तोत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—गुरु-स्तोत्र (तत्पुरुषः)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• तद्गतेन: with (the mind) absorbed in Him/that
• तद्गतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तद्-गत (तत्पुरुषः); कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle) ‘गत’

• अन्तरात्मना: with the inner self (as instrument)
• अन्तरात्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—अन्तर-आत्मन् (कर्मधारयः: ‘inner self’)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/utterance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमस्कारार्थक-अव्ययप्रयोगः (indeclinable interjection)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• नाथ: O Lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• भगवन्: O Blessed One
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘भगवन्’ इति सम्बोधनरूपम्

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• गुरुरूपिणे: to the one having the form of the guru
• गुरुरूपिणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—गुरु-रूपिन् (तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a didactic context within Purva Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru

FAQs

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

It teaches that stotra-japa becomes spiritually effective when the practitioner’s antar-ātman (inner self) is absorbed in the divine reality embodied as the Guru, here revered as Śiva.

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

Bhakti is expressed through reverential chanting (japa) and surrender (namas), combined with focused inward devotion—seeing the Guru as the living form of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights disciplined japa-practice: correct, repeated recitation of a stotra together with mental concentration (tad-gata antar-ātman), a key practical principle used across mantra and ritual traditions.