Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 91

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

उमाकान्तं नन्दिकेशं नीलकण्ठं सदाशिवम् । मृत्युञ्जयं महादेवं परात्परतरं विभुम् ॥ ९१ ॥

Transliteration

umākāntaṃ nandikeśaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ sadāśivam | mṛtyuñjayaṃ mahādevaṃ parātparataraṃ vibhum || 91 ||

Translation

Aku bersujud kepada Śiva—kekasih Umā, tuan bagi bala Nandi, yang berleher biru, Sadāśiva yang sentiasa membawa keberkatan; penakluk maut, Mahādeva, Yang melampaui segala yang melampaui, Tuhan Yang Maha-meliputi.

Word by Word

• उमा-कान्तम्: Umā’s beloved (Śiva)
• उमा-कान्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of implied praise/adoration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘beloved of Umā’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नन्दि-केशम्: Nandikeśa (epithet/name)
• नन्दि-केशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि (प्रातिपदिक) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; traditional epithet), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नील-कण्ठम्: the blue-throated one
• नील-कण्ठम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (Karmadhāraya; ‘blue-throated’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सदा-शिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (Karmadhāraya; ‘ever-auspicious’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मृत्यु-ञ्जयम्: conqueror of death
• मृत्यु-ञ्जयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘conqueror of death’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महा-देवम्: Mahādeva
• महा-देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (Karmadhāraya; ‘great god’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परात्-परतरम्: supremer than the supreme
• परात्-परतरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of vibhum)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परात् (अव्यय/तसिल्) + परतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘more supreme than the supreme’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभुम्: the all-pervading lord
• विभुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana; Śiva-stuti in the chapter’s flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Uma
• Shiva
• Nandi
• Mrityunjaya
• Mahadeva
• Sadashiva
• Nilakantha

FAQs

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

The verse is a concentrated Śiva-stuti: by invoking Śiva through key epithets (Sadāśiva, Nīlakaṇṭha, Mṛtyuñjaya), it frames him as both compassionate protector (remover of fear and poison) and supreme transcendence (parātparatara), making devotion itself a doorway to mokṣa.

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

It models bhakti through nāma-smaraṇa (remembering and reciting divine names). The piling of titles is not mere praise—it is a devotional method that fixes the mind on Śiva’s qualities (auspiciousness, death-conquering grace, all-pervasiveness), which the Purāṇic tradition treats as spiritually transformative.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Vyākaraṇa/etymic insight via meaningful epithets (e.g., Mṛtyuñjaya, Nīlakaṇṭha) used as mantra-like nāmas in stotra practice; the verse supports disciplined recitation (chandas-based memorization) though it does not teach a specific Vedāṅga procedure directly.