Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

यद्भूतं यच्च वै भाव्यं स्थावरं जङ्गमं जगत् । दशाङ्गुलं योऽत्यतिष्ठत्तमीशमजरं भजे ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

yadbhūtaṃ yacca vai bhāvyaṃ sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ jagat | daśāṅgulaṃ yo'tyatiṣṭhattamīśamajaraṃ bhaje || 53 ||

Translation

過去に在りしもの、未来に在るもの、そしてこの動くものと動かぬものから成る全世界を、かの不生の主は「十指のほど」超えて立つ。われはその老いなき自在者を礼拝する。

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• भूतम्: past; that has been
• भूतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (past/been)

• यत्: and that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• भाव्यम्: future; that will be
• भाव्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (future/to be)

• स्थावरम्: immobile
• स्थावरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जङ्गमम्: mobile
• जङ्गमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दशाङ्गुलम्: ten-finger(-breadths)
• दशाङ्गुलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (numerical compound)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• अत्यतिष्ठत्: surpassed; stood beyond
• अत्यतिष्ठत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: अति-

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ईशम्: the Lord
• ईशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अजरम्: ageless
• अजरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भजे: I worship
• भजे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in a devotional declaration within the Narada–Sanatkumara discourse framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Isha (Supreme Lord)
• Brahman (implied)
• Vishnu (implied as the worshipful Supreme in Narada Purana)

FAQs

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

It affirms the Supreme Lord as imperishable and beyond the totality of time (past and future) and all categories of existence (moving and unmoving), directing the seeker to worship the Transcendent as the source and surpasser of the universe.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as single-pointed worship of the ‘Īśa’ who is beyond worldly change; devotion becomes a means to anchor the mind in the unborn, undecaying Reality rather than in transient forms.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a technical Vedanga instruction, the phrase ‘daśāṅgula’ reflects Vedic-style symbolic measurement and mantra-language used for meditation—guiding contemplative practice through precise sacred terminology rather than ritual procedure.