Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छृणुष्व विप्रेन्द्र हरिभक्तिपरायणाः । श्रेष्ठाः सर्वत्र विख्याता यतो भक्तिः सुदुर्लभा ॥ ७५ ॥

Transliteration

tasmācchṛṇuṣva viprendra haribhaktiparāyaṇāḥ | śreṣṭhāḥ sarvatra vikhyātā yato bhaktiḥ sudurlabhā || 75 ||

Translation

因此，噢婆罗门之最胜者，请听：凡一心归依哈利之奉爱（bhakti）者，处处为最上、名闻诸方；因为真实的奉爱极其难得。

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (ablatival adverb): ‘therefore/from that’

• śṛṇuṣva: listen
• śṛṇuṣva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• vipra-indra: O chief of Brahmins
• vipra-indra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः

• hari-bhakti-parāyaṇāḥ: those devoted to Hari-bhakti
• hari-bhakti-parāyaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: हरौ भक्तिः तस्यां परायणम् येषाम् = ‘those devoted to devotion to Hari’

• śreṣṭhāḥ: are the best
• śreṣṭhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate adjective of haribhaktiparāyaṇāḥ

• sarvatra: everywhere
• sarvatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• vikhyātāḥ: renowned
• vikhyātāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + khyā (धातु) → vikhyāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘well-known’

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal conjunction)

• bhaktiḥ: devotion
• bhaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• su-durlabhā: very rare
• su-durlabhā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + durlabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः/उपपद-समासः: सुष्ठु दुर्लभा = ‘very hard to obtain’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares that exclusive devotion to Hari is the highest spiritual stature and is universally honored, precisely because authentic bhakti is rare and not easily achieved.

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

It frames bhakti as a demanding attainment (su-durlabhā) and implies that those who make Hari-bhakti their sole refuge (parāyaṇa) become spiritually eminent and exemplary for society.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is prioritizing śravaṇa (listening to sacred instruction) as a foundational discipline supporting bhakti.