Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

यन्नामसङ्कीर्त्तनतो खलानां समस्तपापानि लयं प्रयान्ति । तमीशमीड्यं पुरुषं पुराणं नताःस्म विष्णुं पुरुषार्थसिद्ध्यै ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

yannāmasaṅkīrttanato khalānāṃ samastapāpāni layaṃ prayānti | tamīśamīḍyaṃ puruṣaṃ purāṇaṃ natāḥsma viṣṇuṃ puruṣārthasiddhyai || 56 ||

Translation

その御名を讃えて唱えるだけで、悪しき者の罪さえも溶け去り尽きる。われらは、讃嘆されるべき主ヴィシュヌ、太古の原初の人格に礼拝する――人の生の目的（プルシャールタ）を成就するために。

Word by Word

• yat: whose
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; ‘whose’ (relative)

• nāma-saṅkīrtanataḥ: from the chanting of (his) name
• nāma-saṅkīrtanataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkīrtana (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: नाम्नः सङ्कीर्तनम्; तस्मात् (ablative sense); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• khalānām: of the wicked
• khalānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• samasta-pāpāni: all sins
• samasta-pāpāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: समस्तानि पापानि; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• layam: dissolution
• layam: Gati/Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prayānti: go/attain
• prayānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• īśam: the Lord
• īśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; tam-अप्पोजिशन

• īḍyam: worthy of praise
• īḍyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īḍ (धातु) + ईड्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: कर्तव्य/योग्य-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘praiseworthy/fit to be praised’

• puruṣam: the Person
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• purāṇam: ancient
• purāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; puruṣam-विशेषण

• natāḥ: bowed
• natāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nam (धातु) + नत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• smaḥ: are
• smaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• viṣṇum: Vishnu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• puruṣa-artha-siddhyai: for the attainment of human goals
• puruṣa-artha-siddhyai: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: पुरुषस्य अर्थाः (goals) तेषां सिद्धिः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It proclaims the purifying potency of Viṣṇu-nāma: mere saṅkīrtana causes even entrenched sin to dissolve, and devotion culminates in puruṣārtha-siddhi—especially mokṣa.

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

Bhakti is presented as accessible and efficacious: praising and chanting the Lord’s Name (nāma-saṅkīrtana) is itself a direct means of purification and surrender (namas), oriented toward realizing the supreme Puruṣa, Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a technical Vedāṅga passage, it implies disciplined mantra/nāma recitation—where correct sound and articulation (Śikṣā) and accurate word-form (Vyākaraṇa) support effective kīrtana and remembrance.