Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Manvantaras and Indras; Sudharmā’s Liberation through Viṣṇu-Pradakṣiṇā; Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti

Devanagari script

सनक उवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि विभूतिं वैष्णवीं मुने । यां श्रृण्वतां कीर्तयतां सद्यः पापक्षयो भवेत् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanaka uvāca | ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi vibhūtiṃ vaiṣṇavīṃ mune | yāṃ śrṛṇvatāṃ kīrtayatāṃ sadyaḥ pāpakṣayo bhavet || 1 ||

Translation

சனகர் கூறினார்—முனிவரே! இனி நான் வைஷ்ணவீ விபூதியை உரைப்பேன்; அதை கேட்டு கீர்த்தனம் செய்வோர்க்கு உடனே பாபநாசம் உண்டாகும் ॥ ௧ ॥

Word by Word

• sanakaḥ: Sanaka
• sanakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ataḥ: thereafter; therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu/Avyaya (हेतु/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण) meaning “therefore/thereafter/from this”

• param: further
• param: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative used adverbially (द्वितीया-अव्ययभाव) meaning “further/next”

• pravakṣyāmi: I will explain
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+vac (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vibhūtim: manifestation; glory
• vibhūtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of pravakṣyāmi

• vaiṣṇavīm: of Viṣṇu; Vaiṣṇava
• vaiṣṇavīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying vibhūtim

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• yām: which
• yām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun referring to vibhūtim

• śṛṇvatām: of those listening
• śṛṇvatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; “of those who are listening”

• kīrtayatām: of those praising
• kīrtayatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kīrtaya (नामधातु from kīrti) / kīrt (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; “of those who are praising/reciting”

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय) “immediately”

• pāpa-kṣayaḥ: destruction of sin
• pāpa-kṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pāpasya kṣayaḥ → “destruction of sin”

• bhavet: would occur; happens
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanaka

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sanaka
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It introduces the Vaiṣṇava vibhūti (glories/manifestations of Viṣṇu) and declares that śravaṇa (hearing) and kīrtana (praise/chanting) of these glories bring immediate pāpa-kṣaya (destruction of sin), emphasizing Bhakti as a purifying force.

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

By presenting hearing and chanting as direct devotional practices with transformative results, it aligns Bhakti with accessible sādhana: one purifies the heart by engaging speech and attention in Viṣṇu-kathā and kīrtana.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technicality is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is disciplined recitation and attentive listening (a foundational practice that supports correct chanting and remembrance in devotional ritual contexts).