Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

Devanagari script

नारायणं जगद्योनिं सर्वकारणकारणम् । समर्चयस्व विप्रेन्द्र यदि मुक्तिमभीप्ससि ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

nārāyaṇaṃ jagadyoniṃ sarvakāraṇakāraṇam | samarcayasva viprendra yadi muktimabhīpsasi || 58 ||

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രേന്ദ്രാ, മുക്തി ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ ജഗദ്യോനി, സർവകാരണമൂലകാരണമനായ നാരായണനെ സമ്യകമായി ആരാധിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जगत्-योनिम्: source/womb of the world
• जगत्-योनिम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जगतः योनि:) used adjectivally for नारायणम्

• सर्व-कारण-कारणम्: the cause of all causes
• सर्व-कारण-कारणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां कारणानां कारणम्) used adjectivally for नारायणम्

• समर्चयस्व: worship properly
• समर्चयस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperative, 2nd person, Singular; आत्मनेपद

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थे ‘विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः’

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय — conditional conjunction ‘if’

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अभीप्ससि: you desire
• अभीप्ससि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + ईप्स् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 2nd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada in instruction-dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It presents Nārāyaṇa as the supreme metaphysical source—creator and ultimate cause—and teaches that sincere worship (samarcana) of Him is a direct means to moksha.

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

By making liberation conditional on worship—“if you desire moksha, worship Narayana”—it frames bhakti as a practical, goal-oriented sadhana centered on Vishnu as the highest reality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The emphasis is on ritual application (proper “samarcana”), aligning with Kalpa/ritual procedure rather than technical Vedanga topics like Vyakarana or Jyotisha in this specific verse.