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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

सनक उवाच । भूयः शृणुष्व विप्रेन्द्र माहात्म्यं परमेष्ठिनः । सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं नृणाम् 1. ॥ १ ॥

sanaka uvāca | bhūyaḥ śṛṇuṣva viprendra māhātmyaṃ parameṣṭhinaḥ | sarvapāpaharaṃ puṇyaṃ bhuktimuktipradaṃ nṛṇām 1. || 1 ||

सनक उवाच। भूयः शृणुष्व विप्रेन्द्र माहात्म्यं परमेष्ठिनः। सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं नृणाम्॥

sanakaḥSanaka
sanakaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (वच् धातु)
FormLiṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa 3rd, Ekavacana; parasmaipada
bhūyaḥagain/further
bhūyaḥ:
Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbhūyaḥ (अव्यय)
FormPunaraṛtti-avyaya (again/further; adverb/पुनरुक्ति)
śṛṇuṣvalisten
śṛṇuṣva:
Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√śru (श्रु धातु)
FormLoṭ (Imperative/लोट्), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यमपुरुष) Ekavacana; ātmanepada (शृणुṣva)
vipra-indraO best of brāhmaṇas
vipra-indra:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन) Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa ‘viprāṇām indraḥ’ (best of brāhmaṇas)
māhātmyamgreatness, glory
māhātmyam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmāhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṃsaka, Dvitīyā Ekavacana
parameṣṭhinaḥof Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)
parameṣṭhinaḥ:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootparameṣṭhin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī Ekavacana; genitive dependent on māhātmyam
sarva-pāpa-haramremoving all sins
sarva-pāpa-haram:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक; from √hṛ हर्)
FormNapुṃsaka, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa ‘sarvāṇi pāpāni harati’ (removing all sins); qualifies māhātmyam
puṇyammeritorious, holy
puṇyam:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpuṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṃsaka, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; qualifies māhātmyam
bhukti-mukti-pradamgranting enjoyment and liberation
bhukti-mukti-pradam:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhukti (प्रातिपदिक) + mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक; from √dā दा)
FormNapुṃsaka, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; dvandva of bhukti+mukti as object to prada: ‘bhuktiṃ ca muktiṃ ca pradadāti’ (granting enjoyment and liberation); qualifies māhātmyam
nṛṇāmof men/people
nṛṇām:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootnṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī Bahuvacana (Genitive plural)

Sanaka

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

S
Sanaka
P
Parameṣṭhin

FAQs

It frames the upcoming māhātmya as a powerful śravaṇa (hearing) practice: hearing the sacred glory of Parameṣṭhin is presented as purifying (puṇya) and capable of removing sin while orienting the listener toward liberation.

By emphasizing attentive hearing of divine greatness (māhātmya-śravaṇa), the verse highlights a core bhakti method: devotional listening that purifies the heart and yields both worldly well-being and spiritual freedom.

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is the discipline of śravaṇa—systematic hearing of sacred narratives as a recognized purificatory practice within Purāṇic Dharma.