Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

Nārada’s Hymn to Viṣṇu

Nāradasya Viṣṇu-stavaḥ

Devanagari script

दंष्ट्रांकुरेण योऽनन्तः समुद्धृत्यार्णवाद् धराम् । तस्थाविदं जगत् कृत्स्नं वाराहं तं नतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

daṃṣṭrāṃkureṇa yo'nantaḥ samuddhṛtyārṇavād dharām | tasthāvidaṃ jagat kṛtsnaṃ vārāhaṃ taṃ nato'smyaham || 38 ||

Translation

Con cúi lạy Varāha—chính Ananta—Đấng dùng đầu ngà nâng Trái Đất lên khỏi đại dương; và trên Ngài, toàn thể vũ trụ này được an lập.

Word by Word

• daṃṣṭrāṅkureṇa: with the tip of the tusk
• daṃṣṭrāṅkureṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃṣṭrāṅkura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular. (Shasthi Tatpurusha: tip of the tusk).

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• anantaḥ: the Infinite One
• anantaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular. Lit: The Endless One.

• samuddhṛtya: having lifted up
• samuddhṛtya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam + ud + dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Lyap Gerund (Absolutive).

• arṇavāt: from the ocean
• arṇavāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• dharām: the earth
• dharām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tasthau: stood / remained
• tasthau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect Tense (Lit/लिट्), 3rd Person (Prathama), Singular

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• jagat: world
• jagat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kṛtsnam: whole / entire
• kṛtsnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vārāham: the Boar (Avatar)
• vārāham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular. (Relating to the Boar).

• tam: to Him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• nataḥ: bowed
• nataḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण) or Predicate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nam (धातु) -> nata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat/लट्), 1st Person (Uttama), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Ananta
• Varaha
• Earth (Dhara/Bhumi)
• Ocean (Arnava)

FAQs

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

It presents Varāha (Vishnu) as the cosmic rescuer who restores dharma by raising the Earth from the waters, teaching that the universe is sustained by the Infinite Lord (Ananta) and approached through reverent surrender (namaskāra).

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

Bhakti is shown as direct worship through stuti and pranāma: the speaker openly declares, “I bow to Varāha,” modeling remembrance of the Lord’s saving acts as a core devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; its practical takeaway is mantra-like recitation for worship (stuti), commonly used in pūjā and japa within Narada Purana-style Vishnu devotion.