Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Hari-nāma Mahimā and Caraṇāmṛta: The Redemption of the Hunter Gulika

Uttaṅka Itihāsa

Devanagari script

जन्मकोट्यर्जितं पापं विष्णुपूजारतात्मनाम् । क्षयं याति क्षणादेव तेषां स्यात्पापधीः कथम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

janmakoṭyarjitaṃ pāpaṃ viṣṇupūjāratātmanām | kṣayaṃ yāti kṣaṇādeva teṣāṃ syātpāpadhīḥ katham || 11 ||

Translation

Le péché amassé durant des crores de naissances est anéanti en un instant chez ceux dont tout l’être est voué au culte de Viṣṇu. Comment, dès lors, une pensée de péché pourrait-elle subsister en eux ?

Word by Word

• जन्म-कोटि-अर्जितम्: accumulated over crores of births
• जन्म-कोटि-अर्जितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from अर्ज्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः—जन्मकोट्या अर्जितम् (earned over crores of births)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• विष्णु-पूजा-रत-आत्मनाम्: of those devoted in self to Vishnu-worship
• विष्णु-पूजा-रत-आत्मनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—विष्णुपूजायां रतः आत्मा येषाम् (whose selves are devoted to Vishnu-worship)

• क्षयम्: destruction/cessation
• क्षयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• क्षणात्: from/in a moment
• क्षणात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थ (just/indeed)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• स्यात्: could be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• पाप-धीः: sinful thought
• पाप-धीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः—पापा धीः (sinful thought)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares the doctrine of pāpa-kṣaya through single-pointed Viṣṇu-bhakti: even vast karmic impurity is said to be burned up instantly when one is absorbed in Viṣṇu-pūjā, leaving no basis for self-identification as “sinful.”

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

Bhakti is presented as total absorption (rata-ātman) in worship, not merely occasional ritual; such unwavering devotion to Viṣṇu is portrayed as spiritually transformative and karmically purifying.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily bhakti-centered rather than Vedāṅga-technical; its practical takeaway is ritual application—consistent Viṣṇu-pūjā (upacāra, mantra, and disciplined worship) as a purificatory sādhana.