Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

The Pañcarātra Vow (Haripañcaka Vrata): Observance from Śukla Ekādaśī to Pūrṇimā

Devanagari script

यस्त्वेतच्छृणुयाद्भक्त्या नारायणपरायणः । स मुच्यते महाघोरैः तापकानां च कोटिभिः ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

yastvetacchṛṇuyādbhaktyā nārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ | sa mucyate mahāghoraiḥ tāpakānāṃ ca koṭibhiḥ || 28 ||

Translation

Mais quiconque l’entend avec dévotion, entièrement voué à Nārāyaṇa, est délivré des tourments les plus terribles, oui, de crores de telles afflictions.

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• etat: this (teaching)
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object) of 'śṛṇuyāt'

• śṛṇuyāt: should hear
• śṛṇuyāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'नारायणः परायणं यस्य/यः'—नारायणनिष्ठ (devoted to Nārāyaṇa)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/मध्यस्थ-भाव (is released/freed)

• mahā-ghoraiḥ: by very terrible
• mahā-ghoraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण of 'tāpakaiḥ/koṭibhiḥ' (understood)

• tāpakānām: of tormentors / of sufferings
• tāpakānām: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• koṭibhiḥ: by crores (of them)
• koṭibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Pañcarātra/Haripañcaka teaching (heard with devotion)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It presents a phala-śruti: devoted listening (śravaṇa) by a Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa devotee becomes a liberating act that destroys vast accumulations of suffering and fear.

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

Bhakti is shown as focused refuge in Nārāyaṇa (parāyaṇatā) expressed through attentive hearing of sacred teaching; such śravaṇa itself is treated as a powerful limb of devotion leading toward release.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is the sādhana of śravaṇa—regular, faithful listening to Purāṇic/Vaiṣṇava instruction as a disciplined practice.