Shloka 4

Brahmavākya

Brahmā’s Pronouncement on Hari-nāma and the Non-punishability of Viṣṇu’s Devotees

Devanagari script

कुरुक्षेत्रेण किं तस्य किं काश्या विरजेन वा । जिह्वाग्रे वर्तते यस्य हरिरित्यक्षरद्वयम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

kurukṣetreṇa kiṃ tasya kiṃ kāśyā virajena vā | jihvāgre vartate yasya harirityakṣaradvayam || 4 ||

Translation

ผู้ใดมีนามสองพยางค์ว่า “หริ” สถิตอยู่ที่ปลายลิ้น ผู้นั้นจะต้องการกุรุเกษตร กาศี หรือแม้แต่วิรชา-ทีรถะไปไย?

Word by Word

• कुरुक्षेत्रेण: by/with Kurukṣetra (the holy field)
• कुरुक्षेत्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—कुरूणां क्षेत्रम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• किम्: what (use/benefit)?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• काश्या: by/with Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• काश्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विरजेन: by/with Viraja (a sacred place/river)
• विरजेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• जिह्वा-अग्रे: on the tip of the tongue
• जिह्वा-अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—जिह्वायाः अग्रे (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वर्तते: exists/abides
• वर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus (as)
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अक्षर-द्वयम्: the two syllables
• अक्षर-द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्वे अक्षरे यस्य/द्वे अक्षरे (द्विगु-समास)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-bhaga tirtha-mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhakti","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"From dismissing external pilgrimage-dependence to affirming intimate, ever-present sanctity through the Name on the tongue."}

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Kurukshetra
• Kashi
• Viraja

FAQs

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

It declares that constant remembrance and utterance of the divine name “Hari” is a supreme purifier, rendering even famed pilgrimages like Kurukṣetra and Kāśī unnecessary for one established in nāma-bhakti.

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

Bhakti here is made practical and direct: keeping Hari’s name on the tongue (nāma-japa/smaraṇa) is presented as an ever-present tirtha, surpassing external acts when devotion is steady.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse implicitly highlights mantra-śāstra and phonetic precision (Śikṣā): the power is tied to uttering the specific “akṣara-dvaya” (two syllables) correctly and repeatedly as disciplined japa.