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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Uttaṅka’s Hymn, Hari’s Manifestation, and the Boon of Bhakti

नारद उवाच । किं तत्स्तोत्रं महाभाग कथं तुष्टो जनार्दनः । उत्तङ्कः पुण्यपुरुषः कीदृशं लब्धवान्वरम् 1. ॥ १ ॥

nārada uvāca | kiṃ tatstotraṃ mahābhāga kathaṃ tuṣṭo janārdanaḥ | uttaṅkaḥ puṇyapuruṣaḥ kīdṛśaṃ labdhavānvaram 1. || 1 ||

នារាទៈបានមានព្រះវាចា៖ «ឱ មហាភាគ! ស្តូត្រនោះជាអ្វី? តើដោយរបៀបណា ជនារទនៈ (វិṣṇុ) បានពេញព្រះហឫទ័យ? ហើយបុរសបុណ្យ អុត្តង្គៈ បានទទួលពរ​ប្រភេទណា?»

nāradaḥNārada
nāradaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootnārada (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
kimwhat?
kim:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative used with 'stotram'
tatthat
tat:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative 'that', qualifying 'stotram'
stotramhymn
stotram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootstotra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)
mahā-bhāgaO fortunate one
mahā-bhāga:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya address: 'O greatly fortunate one'
kathamhow?
katham:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkatham (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-क्रियाविशेषण)
tuṣṭaḥpleased
tuṣṭaḥ:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Roottuṣ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'pleased/satisfied'
janārdanaḥJanārdana (Viṣṇu)
janārdanaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootjanārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
uttaṅkaḥUttaṅka
uttaṅkaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootuttaṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
puṇya-puruṣaḥa virtuous man
puṇya-puruṣaḥ:
Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootpuṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: 'a virtuous man' (apposition to Uttaṅka)
kīdṛśamof what kind?
kīdṛśam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkīdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative adjective qualifying 'varam'
labdhavānobtained
labdhavān:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootlabh (धातु)
FormKta-vat (क्तवत्) past active participle, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'having obtained'
varamboon
varam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Narada

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

N
Narada
J
Janardana (Vishnu)
U
Uttanka

FAQs

It frames the core Purāṇic principle that divine grace is drawn through stotra (praise) and devotion, and it introduces the inquiry into the exact practice and the resulting boon.

By asking how Janārdana became pleased, Nārada highlights bhakti as a relational path—God responds to sincere praise and heartfelt reverence, culminating in blessings (vara).

The verse points to stotra as a disciplined form of sacred speech—linked to Śikṣā (proper recitation) and Vyākaraṇa (correct formulation)—though no specific Vedāṅga technique is detailed in this single line.