Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu
Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ
यज्ञेश यज्ञपुरुष कृष्ण विष्णो नमोऽस्तु ते । पद्माक्ष कमलाकान्त गङ्गाजनक केशव । क्षीरोदशायिन् देवेश दामोदर नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १० ॥
yajñeśa yajñapuruṣa kṛṣṇa viṣṇo namo'stu te | padmākṣa kamalākānta gaṅgājanaka keśava | kṣīrodaśāyin deveśa dāmodara namo'stu te || 10 ||
祭祀の主よ、ヤジュニャの御身たるヤジュニャ・プルシャよ――祭祀の精髄よ――クリシュナよ、ヴィシュヌよ、汝に礼拝いたします。蓮華の眼を持ち、ラクシュミーの愛しき御方、ガンガーの源なるケーシャヴァよ。乳海に横たわる देवेश(神々の主)よ、ダーモダラよ、汝に礼拝いたします。
Narada (stuti within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
The verse identifies Viṣṇu as both the Lord of sacrifice (yajñeśa) and the inner reality of sacrifice (yajñapuruṣa), teaching that ritual attains its highest purpose when it culminates in devotion and surrender to the Supreme.
It models bhakti through concentrated praise using multiple divine names (nāma-stuti), showing that remembrance of the Lord’s forms and attributes—Lotus-eyed, Lakṣmī’s beloved, Kṣīrodaśāyin—purifies the mind and leads toward mokṣa.
Ritual theology is emphasized: the idea of the yajñapuruṣa frames yajña as a sacred act oriented to Viṣṇu. Practically, it supports correct sankalpa and mantra-intent in Vedic rites (kalpa/śrauta-smārta application), where devotion is treated as the inner discipline of ritual.