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Shloka 3

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

सूत उवाच । सनकाद्या महात्मानो ब्रह्मणो मानसाः सुताः । निर्ममा निरहङ्काराः सर्वे ते ह्यूर्ध्वरेतसः ॥ ३ ॥

sūta uvāca | sanakādyā mahātmāno brahmaṇo mānasāḥ sutāḥ | nirmamā nirahaṅkārāḥ sarve te hyūrdhvaretasaḥ || 3 ||

สูตะกล่าวว่า “มหาตมะทั้งหลายเริ่มด้วยสันกะ เป็นบุตรที่เกิดจากจิตของพระพรหม ไร้ความยึดถือและอหังการ ทั้งหมดเป็นผู้ทรงพรหมจรรย์มั่นคง (อูรธวเรตัส)”

sūtaḥSūta
sūtaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsūta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
sanaka-ādyāḥSanaka and the others
sanaka-ādyāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsanaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
mahātmānaḥgreat-souled ones
mahātmānaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
brahmaṇaḥof Brahmā/of Brahman
brahmaṇaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter stem brahman; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
mānasāḥmind-born
mānasāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying sutāḥ
sutāḥsons
sutāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsuta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
nirmamāḥfree from possessiveness
nirmamāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnir+mama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
nirahaṅkārāḥfree from ego
nirahaṅkārāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnir+ahaṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
sarveall
sarve:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
hiindeed
hi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात), emphasis/indeed
ūrdhva-retasaḥcelibate/continent (with upward-flowing semen)
ūrdhva-retasaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + retas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); bahuvrīhi meaning 'those whose retas is upward'

Suta

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

S
Suta
S
Sanaka
B
Brahma

FAQs

It presents the archetype of the highest renunciants—the mind-born sages like Sanaka—defined by freedom from possessiveness (nirmama), freedom from ego (nirahaṅkāra), and disciplined continence (ūrdhva-retas), which are foundational virtues for liberation-oriented life.

While not naming Vishnu-bhakti directly, it establishes the inner purity required for stable devotion: when ‘mine-ness’ and ego drop away, the heart becomes fit for single-pointed remembrance and worship, a key prerequisite for mature bhakti described throughout the Narada Purana.

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-discipline (brahmacarya and self-restraint), which supports Vedic study, mantra practice, and ritual purity.