Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20
The Greatness of Viṣṇu
Uttaṅka’s Hymn, Hari’s Manifestation, and the Boon of Bhakti
वरं वरेण्यं वरदं पुराणं । सनातनं सर्वगतं समस्तम् । नतोऽस्मि भूयोऽपि नतोऽस्मि भूयो । नतोऽस्मि भूयोऽपि नतोऽस्मि भूयः ॥ २० ॥
varaṃ vareṇyaṃ varadaṃ purāṇaṃ | sanātanaṃ sarvagataṃ samastam | nato'smi bhūyo'pi nato'smi bhūyo | nato'smi bhūyo'pi nato'smi bhūyaḥ || 20 ||
പരമോത്തമൻ, വരണീയൻ, വരദൻ, പുരാണൻ, സനാതനൻ, സർവ്വവ്യാപി, സമസ്തസമ്പൂർണ്ണൻ—അവനോട് ഞാൻ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും നമസ്കരിക്കുന്നു. വീണ്ടും നമസ്കാരം, വീണ്ടും നമസ്കാരം—പുനഃപുനഃ നമസ്കാരം.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
The verse teaches that the Purāṇa itself is approached as a sacred, living vehicle of dharma—eternal and all-pervading—and that humility (repeated namaskāra) is the proper inner posture for receiving its liberating instruction.
By repeatedly bowing, the speaker models bhakti as surrender and reverence; devotion is expressed not only toward a deity but also toward the śāstra that reveals the Lord and guides practice, making scripture-hearing and honoring a central limb of bhakti.
Indirectly, it highlights śāstra-maryādā: disciplined reverence to textual authority and proper recitational attitude—supportive of Vedāṅga practices like śikṣā (correct recitation) and vyākaraṇa (clarity of meaning) when studying Purāṇic Sanskrit.