Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

मन्त्रौ षोडशरव्यार्णौ चक्रैरंगानि कल्पयेत् । वरदाभयहस्ताभ्यां श्लिष्यँतं स्वांगके प्रिये ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

mantrau ṣoḍaśaravyārṇau cakrairaṃgāni kalpayet | varadābhayahastābhyāṃ śliṣyaṃtaṃ svāṃgake priye || 13 ||

Translation

بالمَنْتَرَتَيْنِ—وكلٌّ منهما مؤلَّفٌ من ستةَ عشرَ مقطعًا بَذريًّا—يُرتِّبُ السالكُ أعضاءَ (الإله) وفقَ مخطّطاتِ الشَّكرا المقرَّرة. يا حبيبة، ليتصوَّرِ المرءُ الربَّ وهو يعانقُ جسدَه، ويداه تُظهِرانِ مُدْرَتَي منحِ النِّعَمِ والأمانِ من الخوف.

Word by Word

• मन्त्रौ: the two mantras
• मन्त्रौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन

• रवि: of the sun
• रवि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular) — समासे (रवि-आर्ण) सम्बन्धः

• आर्णौ: having syllables (letters)
• आर्णौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual); मन्त्रौ इति विशेषणम् (having syllables/letters)

• चक्रैः: with (as) wheels/discs
• चक्रैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अङ्गानि: limbs/parts
• अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कल्पयेत्: should arrange/construct
• कल्पयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• वरद: boon-giving
• वरद: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (वर-दा), ताभ्याम् इति समासे विशेषणम्

• अभय: fearlessness
• अभय: Visheshya-part (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (अभय-हस्त)

• हस्ताभ्याम्: with (two) hands
• हस्ताभ्याम्: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन (Dual)

• श्लिष्यम्: embracing (in contact)
• श्लिष्यम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्लिष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present participle), परस्मैपद, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘embracing/being in contact’

• तम्: him/that (form)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्व: one’s own
• स्व: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; स्व-अङ्गक इति

• अङ्गके: on/at the body
• अङ्गके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रिये: O beloved
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in an instructional dialogue on mantra-vidhi/nyasa)

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 teaches internalized worship: mantra and chakra-based nyāsa culminate in visualizing the deity intimately present—embracing the practitioner—signifying protection, grace, and the transformation of the body into a sacred seat of devotion.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as loving proximity to the Lord: the devotee meditates on the deity’s compassionate mudrās (boon-giving and fearlessness) and experiences divine closeness, strengthening surrender and trust.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual-technical method—precise syllable/letter-based mantra structure and systematic limb-assignment (aṅga-nyāsa) using chakra-diagrams, reflecting disciplined procedure akin to śikṣā (phonetics) and kalpa-style ritual organization.