Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative

Devanagari script

जय देवाधिदेवेश जय शङ्खगदाधर । जयो लोकस्वरुपाय जयो ब्रह्माण्डहेतवे ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

jaya devādhideveśa jaya śaṅkhagadādhara | jayo lokasvarupāya jayo brahmāṇḍahetave || 56 ||

Translation

Victoire à Toi, Seigneur des dieux, Divinité suprême ! Victoire à Toi, porteur de la conque et de la massue ! Victoire à Toi, forme même des mondes ; victoire à Toi, cause du brahmāṇḍa, l’œuf cosmique de l’univers !

Word by Word

• जय: victory (to you)!
• जय: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Exclamatory address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; जय-शब्दः स्तुत्यर्थे (exclamation of victory/praise)

• देवाधिदेवेश: O Lord over the gods
• देवाधिदेवेश: सम्बोधन (Vocative/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवाधिदेवेश (प्रातिपदिक; देव + अधि + देव + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् अधि देवः, तस्य ईशः)

• जय: victory!
• जय: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; स्तुत्यर्थ-उद्गारः

• शङ्खगदाधर: O bearer of conch and mace
• शङ्खगदाधर: सम्बोधन (Vocative/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्खगदाधर (प्रातिपदिक; शङ्ख + गदा + धर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (शङ्खं च गदां च धरति)

• जयः: victory (be)
• जयः: क्रियापूरक (Predicate nominal; implied 'be')
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; स्तुत्यर्थे (elliptic: 'jayaḥ (astu)')

• लोकस्वरूपाय: to the one who is the very form of the world
• लोकस्वरूपाय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदान/Dative; recipient of praise)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकस्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक; लोक + स्वरूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य स्वरूपः)

• जयः: victory (be)
• जयः: क्रियापूरक (Predicate nominal; implied 'be')
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; स्तुत्यर्थे (jayaḥ astu)

• ब्रह्माण्डहेतवे: to the cause of the universe
• ब्रह्माण्डहेतवे: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदान/Dative; recipient of praise)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्डहेतु (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्माण्ड + हेतु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्माण्डस्य हेतुः)

Speaker

Narada (in praise of Vishnu, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It affirms Vishnu as both immanent (the very form of the worlds) and transcendent (the ultimate cause of the universe), guiding the devotee to see all existence as rooted in the Supreme.

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

By repeatedly proclaiming “jaya,” it models stuti (praise) as a direct bhakti practice—remembering the Lord’s attributes (His weapons and cosmic causality) to stabilize devotion and surrender.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this verse; it primarily functions as stotra-style praise, though it uses precise theological vocabulary (svarūpa, hetu) common in Purana-based teaching.