Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

कैर्मंत्रैर्भगवान्विष्णुः समाराध्यो मुनीश्वराः । के देवाः पूजनीयाश्च विष्णुपादपरायणैः ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

kairmaṃtrairbhagavānviṣṇuḥ samārādhyo munīśvarāḥ | ke devāḥ pūjanīyāśca viṣṇupādaparāyaṇaiḥ || 8 ||

Translation

ഹേ മുനീശ്വരന്മാരേ, ഏതു മന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണുവിനെ ശരിയായി ആരാധിക്കണം? കൂടാതെ വിഷ്ണുപാദപരായണരായ ഭക്തർ ഏതു ദേവന്മാരെ പൂജ്യരായി ആദരിക്കണം?

Word by Word

• कैः: by which?
• कैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता/विधेय (Apposition/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समाराध्यः: to be worshipped
• समाराध्यः: विधेय (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु) → समाराध्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्/तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुनीश्वराः: O lords of sages
• मुनीश्वराः: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मुनीनां ईश्वराः (O lords among sages)

• के: which?
• के: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: कर्ता/विधेय (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पूजनीयाः: worthy of worship
• पूजनीयाः: विधेय (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजनीय (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘worthy to be worshipped’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• विष्णु-पाद-परायणैः: by those devoted to Vishnu’s feet
• विष्णु-पाद-परायणैः: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: विष्णोः पादेषु परायणाः (those devoted to Vishnu’s feet)

Speaker

Narada (inquiring of the Sanatkumara brothers / foremost sages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse frames a core Vaishnava principle: devotion is not vague sentiment but is guided by mantra-vidhi and proper worship, centered on Viṣṇu as the supreme object of adoration.

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

It presents bhakti as viṣṇupāda-parāyaṇatā—exclusive refuge at Viṣṇu’s feet—while also asking how a devotee should relate to other devas, implying an ordered, Vishnu-centered devotional hierarchy.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to mantra-prayoga (correct application of mantras) and worship procedure—topics closely tied to Kalpa (ritual discipline) and the accurate recitation concerns supported by Śikṣā (phonetics).