Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

अनधीतस्य विप्रस्य सर्वं भवति निष्फलम् । शब्दब्रह्ममयो विष्णुर्वेदः साक्षाद्धारि स्मृकतः ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

anadhītasya viprasya sarvaṃ bhavati niṣphalam | śabdabrahmamayo viṣṇurvedaḥ sākṣāddhāri smṛkataḥ || 64 ||

Translation

Para o brāhmaṇa que não estudou o Veda, tudo se torna infrutífero. Viṣṇu é da natureza do Śabda‑Brahman, e o Veda é lembrado como o próprio Hari, manifestado diretamente.

Word by Word

• anadhītasya: of one who has not studied
• anadhītasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-adhīta (कृदन्त; √adhī/अधी ‘to study’ + नञ्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; past passive participle used adjectivally (कृतप्रत्ययान्त विशेषण)

• viprasya: of a Brahmin
• viprasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू) (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• niṣphalam: fruitless
• niṣphalam: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधानविशेषण/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣphala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective (विशेषण) agreeing with sarvam

• śabda-brahma-mayaḥ: consisting of the Word-Brahman
• śabda-brahma-mayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘consisting of/formed of’ (मयट्-अर्थ)

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vedaḥ: the Veda
• vedaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; in apposition to viṣṇuḥ (समनाधिकरण)

• sākṣāt: directly
• sākṣāt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘directly/manifestly’

• dhāri: the bearer (Hari)
• dhāri: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agent noun ‘bearer/holder’ used as epithet

• smṛkataḥ: is remembered (as)
• smṛkataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative verbal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ) + kta (क्त) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used predicatively ‘is remembered/called’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dialogue on dharma and scriptural authority)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari
• Veda

FAQs

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

It equates the Veda with Hari Himself and teaches that without svādhyāya (Vedic study), religious acts lose their spiritual potency because the living link to Śabda-Brahman is missing.

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

By identifying Viṣṇu with the Veda, it frames Vedic recitation, hearing, and study as direct worship—bhakti expressed through reverent engagement with sacred sound.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse implies the necessity of svādhyāya supported by Vedāṅgas—especially Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar)—so mantra is preserved and transmitted correctly as sacred sound.