Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

श्रवणात्पठनाद्वापि सर्वपापविनाशकृत् । यस्यास्य श्रवणे बुद्धिर्जायते भक्तिसंयुता ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

śravaṇātpaṭhanādvāpi sarvapāpavināśakṛt | yasyāsya śravaṇe buddhirjāyate bhaktisaṃyutā || 54 ||

Translation

仅以听闻，乃至诵读，它便能灭除一切罪业。若有人于听闻之时生起与奉爱（bhakti）相应的正智，则其果报臻于最上。

Word by Word

• श्रवणात्: from hearing
• श्रवणात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• पठनात्: from reading
• पठनात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• सर्वपाप-विनाश-कृत्: destroying all sins
• सर्वपाप-विनाश-कृत्: विशेषण (Adjectival; implied subject e.g., पुराणम्/श्रवणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘सर्वपापानां विनाशं करोति’ (destroyer of all sins)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; relative ‘whose’

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of this (Purāṇa)’

• श्रवणे: in hearing
• श्रवणे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• बुद्धिः: understanding/intellect
• बुद्धिः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जायते: arises/is born
• जायते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भक्ति-संयुता: endowed with devotion
• भक्ति-संयुता: विशेषण (Adjectival to बुद्धिः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + सं-युक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/संबन्धः ‘भक्त्या संयुता’ (endowed with devotion); agrees with बुद्धिः

Speaker

Suta (narrator) conveying the phala-śruti of the Purāṇic teaching

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 the phala (result) of Purāṇic transmission: hearing (śravaṇa) or recitation (paṭhana) purifies and destroys sins, and the highest benefit arises when understanding (buddhi) awakens together with devotion (bhakti).

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

Bhakti is presented as more than emotion—true fruit comes when listening generates clear discernment infused with devotion, implying that attentive hearing of sacred teaching matures into devoted understanding and inner transformation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes the practical discipline of śravaṇa and paṭhana—core methods of Vedic learning and preservation—rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa; it highlights correct engagement with scripture as a means of purification.