Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

अद्यापि च मुनिश्रेष्ठ ब्रह्माद्या अपि देवताः । यत्प्रभावं न जानन्ति तं याहि शरणं मुने ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

adyāpi ca muniśreṣṭha brahmādyā api devatāḥ | yatprabhāvaṃ na jānanti taṃ yāhi śaraṇaṃ mune || 63 ||

Translation

Aujourd’hui encore, ô meilleur des sages, même les dieux à commencer par Brahmā ne connaissent pas pleinement Sa puissance. C’est pourquoi, ô muni, va et prends refuge en Lui.

Word by Word

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• मुनि-श्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• मुनि-श्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—कर्मधारयः (श्रेष्ठः मुनिः)

• ब्रह्म-आद्याः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्म-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मा आदिः येषां ते)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अप्यर्थ)

• देवताः: deities
• देवताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• यत्-प्रभावम्: whose power
• यत्-प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यस्य प्रभावः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); परस्मैपद

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• याहि: go
• याहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); परस्मैपद

• शरणम्: for refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); गत्यर्थे द्वितीया (accusative of goal)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devatāḥ
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Lord’s majesty is beyond even the highest gods, so the safest spiritual response is śaraṇāgati—humble surrender to Him.

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

Bhakti here is framed as taking shelter in the Supreme when intellectual or celestial status cannot grasp His full nature—devotion becomes the direct, practical refuge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharmic orientation—prioritizing surrender and devotion over pride in learning or rank.