Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

अहमेव द्विजश्रेष्ठ नित्यं प्रच्छन्नविग्रहः । भगवद्भक्तरूपेण लोकान्रक्षामि सर्वदा ॥ ४७ ॥

Transliteration

ahameva dvijaśreṣṭha nityaṃ pracchannavigrahaḥ | bhagavadbhaktarūpeṇa lokānrakṣāmi sarvadā || 47 ||

Translation

Ô meilleur des deux-fois-nés, Moi seul demeure sans cesse sous une forme voilée ; prenant l’apparence d’un dévot du Seigneur, je protège toujours les mondes.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st/Prathama), Singular

• eva: Indeed/Only
• eva: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• dvijaśreṣṭha: O best of the twice-born
• dvijaśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvijaśreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Singular

• nityam: Eternally/Always
• nityam: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• pracchannavigrahaḥ: One whose form is hidden/disguised
• pracchannavigrahaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective to Aham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pracchannavigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/Prathama), Singular

• bhagavadbhaktarūpeṇa: In the form of a devotee of God
• bhagavadbhaktarūpeṇa: Karana (Instrument/Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavadbhaktarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/Tritiya), Singular

• lokān: The worlds/people
• lokān: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/Dvitiya), Plural

• rakṣāmi: I protect
• rakṣāmi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat), 1st Person (Uttama), Singular

• sarvadā: Always
• sarvadā: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of Time

Speaker

Bhagavan (the Lord, understood as Vishnu/Hari) addressing a Brahmin sage

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Bhagavan)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Bhagavan’s protection is constant and can operate invisibly—He may move within the world in a hidden embodiment, ensuring the welfare of beings without announcing His divinity.

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

By stating that the Lord can appear in the very “form of a devotee,” the verse elevates bhakta-bhāva as a divine instrument—devotion is not merely a human practice but a channel through which Bhagavan safeguards dharma and uplifts the world.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Kalpa, Nirukta, Chandas, Jyotiṣa) is directly taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical vigilance—recognizing that saintly devotees may be instruments of divine protection.