Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 154

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

नारायणं परानन्दं स्मरेत्प्रणवसंस्थितम् । नादरुपमनौपम्यमर्द्धमात्रोपरिस्थितम् ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

nārāyaṇaṃ parānandaṃ smaretpraṇavasaṃsthitam | nādarupamanaupamyamarddhamātroparisthitam || 54 ||

Translation

พึงระลึกถึงพระนารายณ์ ผู้เป็นปรมานันทะ ผู้สถิตในปรณวะ (โอม) ผู้มีรูปเป็นนาทอันละเอียด หาที่เปรียบมิได้ และตั้งอยู่เหนืออรรธมาตรา

Word by Word

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• परानन्दम्: supreme blissful (one)
• परानन्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: परः आनन्दः (supreme bliss) as epithet of नारायणम्

• स्मरेत्: one should remember/meditate on
• स्मरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/संभावना), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रणव: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; in compound, stem form

• संस्थितम्: situated/established
• संस्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies नारायणम्

• प्रणवसंस्थितम्: established in Oṃ
• प्रणवसंस्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्+स्था→संस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: प्रणवे संस्थितम् (established in the praṇava)

• नाद: sound (mystic resonance)
• नाद: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; in compound, stem form

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; used adjectivally in compound

• नादरूपम्: having the form of sound
• नादरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: नादस्य रूपम् (having the form of sound)

• अनौपम्यम्: incomparable
• अनौपम्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनौपम्य (प्रातिपदिक; a- + औपम्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies नारायणम्

• अर्ध: half
• अर्ध: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; in compound, stem form

• मात्रा: measure, mora
• मात्रा: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; in compound, stem form

• उपरि: above
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/अव्यय (adverb/preposition): 'above, upon'

• स्थितम्: situated
• स्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies नारायणम्

• अर्धमात्रोपरिस्थितम्: situated above the half-mora
• अर्धमात्रोपरिस्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय) + स्था (धातु)→स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: अर्धमात्रायाः उपरि स्थितम् (situated above the half-mora)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vishnu
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It identifies Nārāyaṇa as the Supreme Bliss realized through contemplation of Oṃ, pointing to a meditative path where the deity is known as the subtle nāda beyond ordinary speech.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as smaraṇa (remembrance): meditating on Nārāyaṇa within the Praṇava, devotion becomes an inward, continuous recollection leading toward liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Śikṣā (phonetics) and mantra-science by referencing mātrā (syllabic measure) and the Praṇava’s subtle articulation, indicating meditation that transcends audible sound into nāda.