Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

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

Devanagari script

उत्तङ्को भक्तिभावेन क्रियायोगपरो मुने । पूजयन्माधवं नित्यं नरनारायणाश्रमे ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

uttaṅko bhaktibhāvena kriyāyogaparo mune | pūjayanmādhavaṃ nityaṃ naranārāyaṇāśrame || 55 ||

Translation

മുനേ! ഉത്തങ്കൻ ഭക്തിഭാവത്തോടെ നിറഞ്ഞവനായി, ക്രിയായോഗത്തിൽ പരനായ്, നര-നാരായണാശ്രമത്തിൽ നിത്യവും മാധവനെ പൂജിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• उत्तङ्कः: Uttaṅka
• उत्तङ्कः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• भक्तिभावेन: with a devotional attitude
• भक्तिभावेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भक्तेः भावः), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd case/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• क्रियायोगपरः: devoted to the discipline of action (kriyā-yoga)
• क्रियायोगपरः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रिया + योग + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: क्रियायोगे परः), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• पूजन्: worshipping
• पूजन्: कर्ता (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + पूजन् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• माधवम्: Mādhava
• माधवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• नित्यम्: daily/always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• नरनारायणाश्रमे: in the hermitage of Nara-Nārāyaṇa
• नरनारायणाश्रमे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + नारायण + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: नरनारायणयोः आश्रमः), पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (7th case/अधिकरण), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Suta (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Uttaṅka
• Mādhava (Vishnu)
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

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

It presents an ideal model of sādhana: steady daily worship of Viṣṇu (Mādhava) performed with bhakti-bhāva, showing that devotion is strengthened through consistent sacred action.

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

Bhakti is shown as a lived attitude (bhāva) expressed through regular pūjā; the verse emphasizes that heartfelt devotion and disciplined practice together mature one’s relationship with Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application is implied through pūjā and kriyā-yoga—pointing to kalpa (ritual procedure) and ācāra (right conduct) as the practical framework for daily Narada Purana rituals.