Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

Devanagari script

अहो हरिकथालोके पापघ्न पुण्यदायिनी । शृण्वतां वदतां चैव तद्भक्तानां विशेषतः ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

aho harikathāloke pāpaghna puṇyadāyinī | śṛṇvatāṃ vadatāṃ caiva tadbhaktānāṃ viśeṣataḥ || 2 ||

Translation

啊！在此世间，哈利的圣传（Harikathā）能灭罪并赐福德；尤其赐予那些聆听并宣说此圣传的哈利奉爱者。

Word by Word

• अहो: oh! alas!
• अहो: Sambodhana/Exclamation (सम्बोधन/विस्मय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयादिबोधक-निपात (particle/interjection)

• हरिकथा-लोके: in the world/realm of Hari’s discourse
• हरिकथा-लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिकथा + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: हरेः कथा = हरिकथा; ततः हरिकथायाः लोकः)

• पापघ्ना: destroyer of sins
• पापघ्ना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• पुण्यदायिनी: bestower of merit
• पुण्यदायिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यदायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शृण्वताम्: of those who listen
• शृण्वताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शृण्वत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शृण्वत्); पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भाव्य; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘those who listen’ (genitive plural)

• वदताम्: of those who speak
• वदताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वद् (धातु) + वदत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/वदत्); पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भाव्य; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘those who speak’ (genitive plural)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• तद्-भक्तानाम्: of His devotees
• तद्-भक्तानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तस्य भक्ताः)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/विशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares Hari-kathā as a direct purifier: engaging with Vishnu’s divine narratives destroys pāpa (sin) and generates puṇya (spiritual merit), making devotion practical through sacred hearing and speech.

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

It highlights core bhakti-limbs—śravaṇa (listening) and kīrtana/vacana (speaking/reciting). The verse stresses that devotees especially gain transformative benefit by repeatedly hearing and sharing Hari’s glories.

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 devotional discipline—regular śravaṇa and recitation as a sādhana that yields puṇya and reduces pāpa.