Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 54

Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

स्मरतां सर्वपापानि नाशयत्याशु सत्तमाः । तदर्थद्योतकमिदं पुराणं श्राव्यमुत्तमम् ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

smaratāṃ sarvapāpāni nāśayatyāśu sattamāḥ | tadarthadyotakamidaṃ purāṇaṃ śrāvyamuttamam || 53 ||

Translation

ഹേ സത്തമന്മാരേ, ഇതിനെ സ്മരിക്കുന്നവരുടെ സർവ്വപാപങ്ങളും ഇത് വേഗത്തിൽ നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. അതിനാൽ ആ അർത്ഥം പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ഈ ഉത്തമപുരാണം നിർബന്ധമായി ശ്രവിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• स्मरताम्: of those who remember (him)
• स्मरताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मरत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘of those who remember’

• सर्व-पापानि: all sins
• सर्व-पापानि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘सर्वाणि पापानि’

• नाशयति: destroys
• नाशयति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्/नाशय् (धातु-प्रयोगः; causative of नश्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): ‘causes to perish/destroys’

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• सत्तमाः: O best ones
• सत्तमाः: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (superlative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचन; here संबोधन ‘O best of the good’

• तदर्थ-द्योतकम्: illuminating that meaning/purpose
• तदर्थ-द्योतकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to पुराणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + द्योतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘तस्य अर्थस्य द्योतकम्’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject; ‘this’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्राव्यम्: to be listened to
• श्राव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्राव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (ण्यत्/यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be heard/should be listened to’

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies पुराणम्

Speaker

Suta (narrating in the Purana-style frame; praising the efficacy of hearing/remembering the Purana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It teaches that smaraṇa (remembrance) and śravaṇa (listening) of the Purāṇa are purifying disciplines that rapidly destroy pāpa (sin) and clarify the text’s intended meaning.

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

By emphasizing remembrance and attentive hearing, it points to core bhakti practices—keeping the sacred narrative in mind and receiving it through śravaṇa—as direct means of inner purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights the applied discipline of śravaṇa as a dharmic practice (a practical mode of learning/transmission), rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.