Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

Dhvaja-Dhāraṇa Mahātmyam: Sumati–Satyamatī, Humility, and Deliverance by Hari’s Messengers

Devanagari script

य इदं पुण्यमाख्यानं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । पठेच्च श्रृणुयाद्वापि सोऽपि याति परां रातिम् ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

ya idaṃ puṇyamākhyānaṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam | paṭhecca śrṛṇuyādvāpi so'pi yāti parāṃ rātim || 86 ||

Translation

Sinumang bumibigkas o nagbabasa ng banal na salaysay na ito na pumupuksa sa lahat ng kasalanan—o kahit nakikinig lamang—siya man ay makaaabot sa kataas-taasang kalagayan.

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• puṇyam: meritorious, holy
• puṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying ākhyānam

• ākhyānam: narrative, account
• ākhyānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-pāpa-praṇāśanam: destroyer of all sins
• sarva-pāpa-praṇāśanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + praṇāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: sarveṣāṃ pāpānāṃ praṇāśanam = destroyer of all sins; adjective qualifying ākhyānam

• paṭhet: should read
• paṭhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paṭh (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• śṛṇuyāt: should hear
• śṛṇuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पबोधक अव्यय)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (सम्भावना/अपि = also/even)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = also/even)

• yāti: goes, attains
• yāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• parām: supreme, highest
• parām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying rātim

• rātim: state/attainment (blessed goal)
• rātim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the phala-śruti in the Purāṇic discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It states a classic Purāṇic phala-śruti: the act of reciting or even hearing a sacred, merit-bestowing narrative is itself a purifier that removes sin and leads the listener/reciter to the highest spiritual attainment.

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

By emphasizing śravaṇa (devotional hearing) and pāṭha (recitation), it highlights accessible devotional practices—engaging the mind and speech with sacred kathā—which are foundational limbs of Bhakti and are said to culminate in the supreme goal.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse chiefly stresses practice rather than a specific Vedāṅga: correct pāṭha (recitation) and attentive śravaṇa (hearing) align with śikṣā (phonetics) and vyākaraṇa (language discipline) in maintaining accurate transmission of sacred text.