Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

ते नेत्रे सुफले पुंसां पश्यतो ये जनार्दनम् । सा जिह्वा प्रोच्यते सद्भिर्हरिनामपरा तु या ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

te netre suphale puṃsāṃ paśyato ye janārdanam | sā jihvā procyate sadbhirharināmaparā tu yā || 8 ||

Translation

Verdadeiramente frutuosos são os olhos do homem que contemplam Janārdana. E essa língua, dizem os justos, é a língua verdadeira: a que se dedica ao Nome de Hari.

Word by Word

• ते: those two
• ते: Anvaya (अन्वय/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/Pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• नेत्रे: (two) eyes
• नेत्रे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• सुफले: very fruitful
• सुफले: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषण (adjective) नेत्रे-शब्दस्य

• पुंसाम्: of people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पश्यतः: of (one) seeing
• पश्यतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्यत् (कृदन्त; √पश् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); ‘पश्यतः’ = ‘of one who sees’

• ये: which two
• ये: Anvaya (अन्वय/Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/Pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); सम्बन्ध (relative) नेत्रे-शब्दस्य

• जनार्दनम्: Janardana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सा: that
• सा: Anvaya (अन्वय/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine/Pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जिह्वा: tongue
• जिह्वा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रोच्यते: is said / is called
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• सद्भिः: by the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हरिनामपरा: devoted to Hari's name
• हरिनामपरा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरि + नाम + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ‘हरिनाम्नि परा’ (devoted to Hari's name)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle), विशेषार्थ (emphasis)

• या: which
• या: Anvaya (अन्वय/Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine/Pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a didactic dialogue on Vishnu-bhakti)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Janardana
• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that the senses become meaningful when aligned with devotion: eyes attain success by seeing Vishnu (Janardana), and speech becomes sanctified when the tongue is absorbed in chanting Hari’s Name.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical sense-discipline—seeking Hari-darshana (vision of the Lord) and Hari-nāma (chanting), which together transform perception and speech into direct instruments of liberation-oriented devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a technical Vedanga passage, it implies disciplined recitation and right use of speech—supporting the spirit of Śikṣā (phonetics/pronunciation) and Vyākaraṇa (correct expression) in nāma-japa and devotional recitation.