Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

दामोदरं हृषीकेशं पद्मनाभं हरिं प्रभुम् । एतैश्च नामभिर्नित्यं कृष्णदेवं समर्चयेत् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

dāmodaraṃ hṛṣīkeśaṃ padmanābhaṃ hariṃ prabhum | etaiśca nāmabhirnityaṃ kṛṣṇadevaṃ samarcayet || 17 ||

Translation

Hendaklah setiap hari menyembah Kṛṣṇa-deva, dengan senantiasa memuliakan-Nya melalui nama-nama suci ini: Dāmodara, Hṛṣīkeśa, Padmanābha, Hari, dan Prabhu, Tuhan Yang Maha Berkuasa.

Word by Word

• दामोदरम्: Dāmodara
• दामोदरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Dāmodara’

• हृषीकेशम्: Hṛṣīkeśa
• हृषीकेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक; हृषीक + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Hṛṣīkeśa’ (lord of the senses)

• पद्मनाभम्: Padmanābha
• पद्मनाभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मनाभ (प्रातिपदिक; पद्म + नाभ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Padmanābha’ (lotus-naveled)

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Hari’

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘the Lord/master’

• एतैः: with these
• एतैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘नामभिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण — ‘with these’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• नामभिः: by (these) names
• नामभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण — ‘by/with (these) names’

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (accusative used adverbially) — ‘always/regularly’

• कृष्णदेवम्: Kṛṣṇa (the Lord)
• कृष्णदेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णदेव (प्रातिपदिक; कृष्ण + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Kṛṣṇa, the divine one’

• समर्चयेत्: should worship (properly)
• समर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘should worship duly’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Daśāphala-vrata (name-invocation component; also applicable as nitya practice)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Damodara
• Hrsikesa
• Padmanabha
• Hari

FAQs

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

It teaches that steady devotion (nitya-bhakti) can be anchored in sacred names of the Lord, where each name reveals a distinct divine function—mastery of senses, cosmic origin, and removal of sin—leading the devotee toward purity and liberation.

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

Bhakti here is practical and repeatable: worship Kṛṣṇa daily by invoking His names with reverence. The verse emphasizes constancy (nityam) and name-based adoration (nāmabhiḥ samarcayet), a core method of Vaiṣṇava devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights disciplined liturgical practice—structured recitation of divine names (mantra/nāma usage) within daily worship—aligning with śikṣā (correct recitation) and kalpa-style ritual regularity, even though no technical Vedāṅga rule is explicitly stated.