Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

Devanagari script

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणे पूर्वभागे प्रथमपादे विष्णुमाहात्म्यंनामैकोनचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

iti śrībṛhannāradīyapurāṇe pūrvabhāge prathamapāde viṣṇumāhātmyaṃnāmaikonacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 39 ||

Translation

अशा प्रकारे श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणाच्या पूर्वभागातील प्रथम पादात ‘विष्णुमाहात्म्य’ नावाचा एकोणचाळीसावा अध्याय समाप्त झाला ॥ ३९ ॥

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (अव्यय-निपात), quotation/end-marker

• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇe: in the Śrī Bṛhat Nāradīya Purāṇa
• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक) + nāradīya (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; compound title in locative: “in the Śrī Bṛhat Nāradīya Purāṇa”

• pūrva-bhāge: in the former section
• pūrva-bhāge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; pūrvasya bhāgaḥ → “in the former part”

• prathama-pāde: in the first part (pāda)
• prathama-pāde: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; “in the first pāda/quarter/section”

• viṣṇu-māhātmyam: the glory of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu-māhātmyam: Karta (कर्ता/heading)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; viṣṇoḥ māhātmyam → “the glory of Viṣṇu”

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable usage (अव्ययवत्) meaning “named/called” (नाम-शब्दः)

• ekona-catvāriṃśaḥ: thirty-ninth
• ekona-catvāriṃśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekona (प्रातिपदिक) + catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; numeral adjective qualifying adhyāyaḥ: “one less than forty” (=39th)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/heading)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Sūta (colophon/narratorial closure; not a dialog verse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narada

FAQs

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

This is a colophon that formally seals the completion of the “Viṣṇu-māhātmya” chapter, emphasizing that the preceding teaching is to be received as an authoritative Purāṇic glorification of Viṣṇu.

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

It does not teach a practice directly; it labels the chapter as “Viṣṇu-māhātmya,” indicating that the chapter’s core method is bhakti through hearing and remembering Viṣṇu’s greatness (māhātmya-śravaṇa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No Vedāṅga instruction is given in this line; it is a textual/archival marker identifying the section (Pūrva-bhāga, Prathama-pāda) and the chapter number for accurate citation.