Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

शिवस्वरूपी शिवभक्तिभाजां यो विष्णुरूपी हरिभावितानाम् । सङ्कल्पपूर्वात्मकदेहहेतुस्तमेव नित्यं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

śivasvarūpī śivabhaktibhājāṃ yo viṣṇurūpī haribhāvitānām | saṅkalpapūrvātmakadehahetustameva nityaṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye || 28 ||

Translation

ശിവഭക്തർക്കു ശിവരൂപനായും, ഹരിഭാവത്തിൽ ലീനരായവർക്ക് വിഷ്ണുരൂപനായും പ്രത്യക്ഷനാകുന്നവൻ; മുൻസങ്കൽപവും സൂക്ഷ്മ ആത്മതത്ത്വവും ആധാരമായി ദേഹധാരണത്തിന് കാരണമായവൻ—അവനിൽ തന്നേ ഞാൻ നിത്യം ശരണം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• śiva-svarūpī: having Śiva as (his) form
• śiva-svarūpī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + sva-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + in (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: शिवस्य स्वरूपः (having Śiva as own form)

• śiva-bhakti-bhājām: of those who partake in devotion to Śiva
• śiva-bhakti-bhājām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: शिवे भक्तिः यस्य/येषां ते (devotees of Śiva)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; relative pronoun

• viṣṇu-rūpī: having the form of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu-rūpī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः रूपी)

• hari-bhāvitānām: of those devoted/imbued with Hari
• hari-bhāvitānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural; तत्पुरुष: हरिणा भाविताः (those inspired/imbued by Hari)

• saṅkalpa-pūrva-ātmaka-deha-hetuḥ: the cause of the body formed by prior resolve
• saṅkalpa-pūrva-ātmaka-deha-hetuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅkalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: (सङ्कल्पपूर्वः आत्मकः देहः) तस्य हेतुः—cause of the body constituted by prior resolve

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) of emphasis

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण द्वितीया)

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• prapadye: I take refuge
• prapadye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-pad (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person, Singular; Ātmanepada

Speaker

Nārada (in a devotional/refuge declaration within the teaching context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Hari
• Atman

FAQs

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

It teaches a unitive theology: the one Supreme is approached through different devotional dispositions, manifesting as Śiva for Śiva-bhaktas and as Viṣṇu for Hari-bhaktas, and thus refuge is taken in that single ultimate reality.

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

Bhakti is presented as mind-orientation (bhāva): when the devotee is absorbed in Śiva or Hari, the Lord is realized accordingly; the verse culminates in śaraṇāgati—exclusive surrender to the Supreme beyond sectarian division.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is sādhana-oriented—purifying saṅkalpa (intention) and fixing devotion, since intention is linked here to the cause of embodied experience.