Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

Hari-nāma Mahimā and Caraṇāmṛta: The Redemption of the Hunter Gulika

Uttaṅka Itihāsa

Devanagari script

हरिपूजाविहीनं तु यस्य वेश्म द्विजोत्तम । श्मशानसदृशं तद्धि कदाचिदपि नो विशेत् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

haripūjāvihīnaṃ tu yasya veśma dvijottama | śmaśānasadṛśaṃ taddhi kadācidapi no viśet || 4 ||

Translation

హే ద్విజోత్తమా! హరి పూజ లేని ఇంటి స్వరూపం నిజంగా శ్మశానంతో సమానం; దానిలో ఎప్పుడూ ప్రవేశించకూడదు।

Word by Word

• हरि-पूजा-विहीनम्: devoid of worship of Hari
• हरि-पूजा-विहीनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (हरेः पूजा यस्मिन् नास्ति/येन रहितम्) — 'devoid of Hari-worship' (qualifying वेश्म)

• तु: indeed
• तु: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — 'but/indeed'

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — 'whose/of whom'

• वेश्म: house
• वेश्म: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन — 'house/dwelling'

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (द्विजः एव उत्तमः) — 'O best of the twice-born'

• श्मशान-सदृशम्: like a cremation ground
• श्मशान-सदृशम्: विशेषण (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक) + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (श्मशानस्य सदृशम्) — 'like a cremation-ground' (predicate of वेश्म)

• तत्: that (house)
• तत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'that' (referring to the house)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle) — 'for/indeed'

• कदाचित्: ever
• कदाचित्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb) — 'ever/at any time'

• अपि: even
• अपि: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (particle) — 'even/also'

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation) — 'not'

• विशेत्: should enter
• विशेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — 'should enter'

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares that a home becomes spiritually inauspicious without Hari-puja, equating such a space with a śmaśāna (cremation ground) and advising devotees to avoid it.

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

It places Hari-worship at the center of dharmic life: devotion is not abstract, but expressed through regular puja that sanctifies the household and one’s associations.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa-related conduct) is implied: maintaining nitya-karman style worship of Hari as a practical rule for purity, hospitality, and choosing spiritually conducive company.