Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 91

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

उमाकान्तं नन्दिकेशं नीलकण्ठं सदाशिवम् । मृत्युञ्जयं महादेवं परात्परतरं विभुम् ॥ ९१ ॥

Transliteration

umākāntaṃ nandikeśaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ sadāśivam | mṛtyuñjayaṃ mahādevaṃ parātparataraṃ vibhum || 91 ||

Translation

میں شِو کو سجدۂ تعظیم پیش کرتا ہوں—اُما کے محبوب، نندی کے گَणوں کے سردار، نیل کنٹھ، سداشیو؛ مرتیونجَے مہادیو، پرات پر سے بھی برتر، ہمہ گیر ربّ۔

Word by Word

• उमा-कान्तम्: Umā’s beloved (Śiva)
• उमा-कान्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of implied praise/adoration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘beloved of Umā’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नन्दि-केशम्: Nandikeśa (epithet/name)
• नन्दि-केशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि (प्रातिपदिक) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; traditional epithet), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नील-कण्ठम्: the blue-throated one
• नील-कण्ठम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (Karmadhāraya; ‘blue-throated’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सदा-शिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (Karmadhāraya; ‘ever-auspicious’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मृत्यु-ञ्जयम्: conqueror of death
• मृत्यु-ञ्जयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘conqueror of death’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महा-देवम्: Mahādeva
• महा-देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (Karmadhāraya; ‘great god’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परात्-परतरम्: supremer than the supreme
• परात्-परतरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of vibhum)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परात् (अव्यय/तसिल्) + परतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘more supreme than the supreme’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभुम्: the all-pervading lord
• विभुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana; Śiva-stuti in the chapter’s flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Uma
• Shiva
• Nandi
• Mrityunjaya
• Mahadeva
• Sadashiva
• Nilakantha

FAQs

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

The verse is a concentrated Śiva-stuti: by invoking Śiva through key epithets (Sadāśiva, Nīlakaṇṭha, Mṛtyuñjaya), it frames him as both compassionate protector (remover of fear and poison) and supreme transcendence (parātparatara), making devotion itself a doorway to mokṣa.

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

It models bhakti through nāma-smaraṇa (remembering and reciting divine names). The piling of titles is not mere praise—it is a devotional method that fixes the mind on Śiva’s qualities (auspiciousness, death-conquering grace, all-pervasiveness), which the Purāṇic tradition treats as spiritually transformative.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Vyākaraṇa/etymic insight via meaningful epithets (e.g., Mṛtyuñjaya, Nīlakaṇṭha) used as mantra-like nāmas in stotra practice; the verse supports disciplined recitation (chandas-based memorization) though it does not teach a specific Vedāṅga procedure directly.