Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Varṇāśrama-ācāra: Common Virtues, Varṇa Duties, and the Four Āśramas

Devanagari script

सनक उवाच । श्रृणुष्व मुनिशार्दूल यथा भक्तप्रियंकरः । वर्णाश्रमाचारपरैः पूज्यते हरिरव्ययः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

sanaka uvāca | śrṛṇuṣva muniśārdūla yathā bhaktapriyaṃkaraḥ | varṇāśramācāraparaiḥ pūjyate hariravyayaḥ || 5 ||

Translation

सनक उवाच । श्रृणुष्व मुनिशार्दूल यथा भक्तप्रियंकरः । वर्णाश्रमाचारपरैः पूज्यते हरिरव्ययः ॥

Word by Word

• सनकः: Sanaka
• सनकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘शृणु’ + ‘स्व’ (आगम)

• मुनिशार्दूल: O tiger among sages
• मुनिशार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मुनिषु शार्दूलः’ (tiger among sages)

• यथा: how, in what manner
• यथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/how)

• भक्तप्रियंकरः: the one who does what is dear to devotees
• भक्तप्रियंकरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त-प्रियं-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः ‘भक्तानां प्रियं करोति’ इति (upapada-tatpurusha)

• वर्णाश्रमाचारपरैः: by those devoted to the conduct of varṇa and āśrama
• वर्णाश्रमाचारपरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण-आश्रम-आचार-पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला) ‘वर्णाश्रमाचारेषु पराः’

• पूज्यते: is worshipped
• पूज्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karma (कर्म/Patient in passive; logical object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Karma (कर्म/Patient in passive; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (हरिः इति विशेष्य)

Speaker

Sanaka

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sanaka
• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It frames worship of Hari as inseparable from righteous conduct (ācāra), teaching that devotion becomes stable and pleasing to Vishnu when aligned with varṇāśrama-dharma.

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

Bhakti is presented as “bhakta-priyaṁ-kara”—that which delights the Lord—expressed through disciplined living and duty-based conduct, not merely emotion or praise.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes ācāra (regulated practice) and dharma-application; while no single Vedāṅga is named, it aligns with Kalpa (ritual procedure) as the practical framework for worship rooted in prescribed duties.