Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । सनकाद्या महात्मानो ब्रह्मणो मानसाः सुताः । निर्ममा निरहङ्काराः सर्वे ते ह्यूर्ध्वरेतसः ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | sanakādyā mahātmāno brahmaṇo mānasāḥ sutāḥ | nirmamā nirahaṅkārāḥ sarve te hyūrdhvaretasaḥ || 3 ||

Translation

ສູຕະກ່າວວ່າ: ມະຫາຕະມະທັງຫຼາຍ ເລີ່ມຈາກສະນະກະ ເປັນບຸດທີ່ເກີດຈາກຈິດຂອງພຣະພຣະຫມາ. ພວກເຂົາບໍ່ຍຶດຕິດ ແລະບໍ່ມີອັດຕາ; ທຸກອົງເປັນພຣະຈາຣີ ຜູ້ຮັກສາພຣະພຣະຈັນທະ ໃຫ້ພະລັງຊີວິດເຄື່ອນຂຶ້ນເທິງ.

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• sanaka-ādyāḥ: Sanaka and the others
• sanaka-ādyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mahātmānaḥ: great-souled ones
• mahātmānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā/of Brahman
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter stem brahman; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• mānasāḥ: mind-born
• mānasāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying sutāḥ

• sutāḥ: sons
• sutāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nirmamāḥ: free from possessiveness
• nirmamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir+mama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nirahaṅkārāḥ: free from ego
• nirahaṅkārāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir+ahaṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

• ūrdhva-retasaḥ: celibate/continent (with upward-flowing semen)
• ūrdhva-retasaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + retas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); bahuvrīhi meaning 'those whose retas is upward'

Speaker

Suta

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Sanaka
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents the archetype of the highest renunciants—the mind-born sages like Sanaka—defined by freedom from possessiveness (nirmama), freedom from ego (nirahaṅkāra), and disciplined continence (ūrdhva-retas), which are foundational virtues for liberation-oriented life.

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

While not naming Vishnu-bhakti directly, it establishes the inner purity required for stable devotion: when ‘mine-ness’ and ego drop away, the heart becomes fit for single-pointed remembrance and worship, a key prerequisite for mature bhakti described throughout the Narada Purana.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-discipline (brahmacarya and self-restraint), which supports Vedic study, mantra practice, and ritual purity.