Shloka 34

Glory of Puruṣottama: Pañcatīrthī Observance and Narasiṃha Worship

Devanagari script

नमस्ते बलिनां श्रेष्ठ नमस्ते धरणीधर । प्रलंबारे नमस्तेऽस्तु त्रीहि मां कृष्णपूर्वज ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

namaste balināṃ śreṣṭha namaste dharaṇīdhara | pralaṃbāre namaste'stu trīhi māṃ kṛṣṇapūrvaja || 34 ||

Translation

हे बलवानांतील श्रेष्ठा! तुला नमस्कार. हे धरणीधरा! तुला नमस्कार. हे प्रलंबवधकर्ता! तुला नमस्कार—हे कृष्णाच्या अग्रजा, माझे रक्षण कर.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), नमस्कारार्थक-निपातः (salutatory particle)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया/चतुर्थी?—अत्र दत्तिः (चतुर्थी, Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (singular)

• balinām: of the strong
• balinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: balin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (plural)

• śreṣṭha: O best
• śreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपातः

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• dharaṇīdhara: O bearer of the earth
• dharaṇīdhara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharaṇī + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: धरण्याः धरः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• pralaṃbāre: O enemy of Pralamba
• pralaṃbāre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaṃba + ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: प्रलम्बस्य अरिः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपातः

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• astu: let it be
• astu: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• trīhi: protect
• trīhi: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: trīh (त्रीह् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇapūrvaja: O elder brother of Krishna
• kṛṣṇapūrvaja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa + pūrvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कृष्णस्य पूर्वजः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

A devotee/supplicant addressing Balarāma (within the Uttara-Bhāga Tīrtha-Māhātmya narrative frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Balarama
• Krishna
• Pralamba

FAQs

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

It models śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) through stuti: the devotee praises the deity’s cosmic support (dharaṇīdhara) and heroic protection (Pralamba-slayer), then directly asks for safeguarding.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as personal address, remembrance of divine līlā (slaying Pralamba), and humble petition—devotion that combines praise (stotra) with surrender (trāhi mām).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse uses a stotra-style vocative construction and epithets (nāma/guṇa-kīrtana), reflecting practical application of Vyākaraṇa (case/vocative usage) in devotional recitation rather than a technical Vedāṅga exposition.