Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

यो ब्रह्मरूपी जगतां विधाता स एव पाता द्विजविष्णुरूपी । कल्पान्तरुद्रा ख्यतनुः स देवः शेतेऽङघ्रिपानस्तमजं भजामि ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

yo brahmarūpī jagatāṃ vidhātā sa eva pātā dvijaviṣṇurūpī | kalpāntarudrā khyatanuḥ sa devaḥ śete'ṅaghripānastamajaṃ bhajāmi || 26 ||

Translation

ଯେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମାରୂପେ ଜଗତମାନଙ୍କର ବିଧାତା, ସେଇ ବିଷ୍ଣୁରୂପେ ପାଳକ; ଏବଂ କଳ୍ପାନ୍ତେ ରୁଦ୍ରନାମକ ତନୁ ଧାରଣ କରନ୍ତି। ଶେଷ ଉପରେ ପଦ ରଖି ଶୟନ କରୁଥିବା ସେଇ ଅଜ ଦେବଙ୍କୁ ମୁଁ ଭଜେ।

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (यत्-प्रत्यय)

• brahma-rūpī: having the form of Brahman
• brahma-rūpī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः रूपम् यस्य/ब्रह्मरूपः) used adjectivally

• jagatām: of the worlds
• jagatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vidhātā: creator/ordainer
• vidhātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi-dhā (धातु) + tṛ (कृत् प्रत्यय) → vidhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agent noun (कर्तृवाचक) from √धा with उपसर्ग वि-

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) of emphasis

• pātā: protector
• pātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pā (धातु) + tṛ (कृत्) → pātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agent noun (protector) from √पा (पालने)

• dvija-viṣṇu-rūpī: having the form of Viṣṇu among the twice-born
• dvija-viṣṇu-rūpī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: (द्विजानां विष्णुरूपः/द्विजविष्णुरूपः) + rūpī; used adjectivally

• kalpa-antara-rudrākhyatanuḥ: whose form is called Rudra in another kalpa
• kalpa-antara-rudrākhyatanuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक) + rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: कलपान्तर- (in another kalpa) + रुद्र-आख्या (named Rudra) + तनुः (body/form)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• śete: lies/reclines
• śete: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śī (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• aṅghri-pānaḥ: drinker of (his) feet (i.e., devoted to the feet)
• aṅghri-pānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अङ्घ्र्योः पानः/अङ्घ्रिपानः)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• ajam: the unborn
• ajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; adjective meaning 'unborn'

• bhajāmi: I worship
• bhajāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra
• Shesha (implied by reclining with feet supported)

FAQs

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

It affirms one Supreme, unborn Reality who performs creation, preservation, and dissolution through the well-known forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra—guiding the devotee to single-pointed worship beyond sectarian division.

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

By naming the Lord’s cosmic roles and then declaring “I worship that Unborn One,” the verse models bhakti as remembrance of God’s greatness (aiśvarya-smaraṇa) leading to surrender and steady praise (stuti).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught directly; however, the verse uses precise cosmological terminology (kalpa, creation–preservation–dissolution), aligning with Purāṇic instruction that supports correct ritual and theological understanding.