Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

सत्कर्मधूतपापा ये हरिभक्तिपरायणाः । प्रयान्ति नात्र संदेहस्तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

satkarmadhūtapāpā ye haribhaktiparāyaṇāḥ | prayānti nātra saṃdehastadviṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam || 37 ||

Translation

സത്കർമ്മങ്ങളാൽ പാപം കഴുകിപ്പോയി, ഹരിഭക്തിയിൽ പരായണരായവർ—ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല—വിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ പരമപദം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• sat-karma-dhūta-pāpāḥ: whose sins are washed away by good deeds
• sat-karma-dhūta-pāpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat + karma + dhūta + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Bahuvacana; samāsa: sat-karma (good deeds) + dhūta-pāpa (sins shaken off)

• ye: who (those who)
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; relative pronoun

• hari-bhakti-parāyaṇāḥ: devoted to devotion to Hari
• hari-bhakti-parāyaṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hari + bhakti + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; 'devoted to Hari-bhakti'

• prayānti: go, attain
• prayānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yā (या धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• na: not (no)
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; pratiṣedha (negation) used with 'atra saṃdehaḥ' = 'no doubt'

• atra: here, in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa-bodhaka (अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; deśa-kāla-viśeṣaṇa (adverb)

• saṃdehaḥ: doubt
• saṃdehaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdeha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun qualifying 'padam'

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'padam'

• padam: abode, state, place
• padam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares a clear soteriology: purification through satkarma combined with single-pointed Hari-bhakti culminates in reaching Viṣṇu’s supreme abode (paramaṃ padam), with no uncertainty.

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

Bhakti is presented as the decisive orientation—“haribhaktiparāyaṇāḥ”—where devotion to Hari becomes the practitioner’s primary refuge; when joined with purified conduct, it leads directly to Viṣṇu’s highest state.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Śikṣā) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline (satkarma) as a purificatory support for sustained bhakti.