Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

पद्मोत्पलकरे ताभ्यां श्लिष्टं चक्रदरोज्वलम् । ध्यात्वैवं प्रजपेल्लक्षदशकं तद्दशांशतः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

padmotpalakare tābhyāṃ śliṣṭaṃ cakradarojvalam | dhyātvaivaṃ prajapellakṣadaśakaṃ taddaśāṃśataḥ || 14 ||

Translation

وبالتأمّل هكذا في (الربّ) الذي تمسك يداه باللوتس وبالزنبق المائيّ الأزرق (أُتبَلا)، والمتلألئ بالقرص (تشاكرا) والصدفة (شنخا)، فليؤدِّ السالكُ الجَپَا مئةً وعشرةَ آلافِ تكرار؛ ثم ليقدّم عُشرَ ذلك كطقسِ ختامٍ مقرر.

Word by Word

• पद्म: lotus
• पद्म: Visheshya-part (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (पद्म-उत्पल-कर)

• उत्पल: water-lily
• उत्पल: Visheshya-part (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• करे: in the hand (with lotus and lily)
• करे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); पद्मोत्पल-कर = तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः) ‘in the hand (holding) lotus and lily’

• ताभ्याम्: with those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन (Dual)

• श्लिष्टम्: held/embraced
• श्लिष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्लिष् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘embraced/held close’

• चक्र: discus
• चक्र: Visheshya-part (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (चक्र-दर-उज्ज्वल)

• दर: tusk/fang (or edge)
• दर: Visheshya-part (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासमध्यपद — ‘tusk/fang’ (अर्थः सन्दिग्धः; सम्भवतः ‘दंष्ट्रा/दन्त’ अथवा ‘दर’ = ‘भेद/छिद्र’)

• उज्ज्वलम्: shining, radiant
• उज्ज्वलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); चक्रदर-उज्ज्वल = तत्पुरुष (निर्देश/सम्बन्ध) ‘bright with (having) discus and tusk/edge’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः — ‘having meditated’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रजपेत्: should recite (repeatedly)
• प्रजपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• लक्ष: one hundred thousand
• लक्ष: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; समासपूर्वपद (लक्ष-दशक)

• दशकम्: a set/number (of repetitions)
• दशकम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); लक्ष-दशक = तत्पुरुष (संख्या-सम्बन्ध) ‘a set of a lakh (i.e., 100,000 repetitions)’

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular) — समासे/वाक्ये ‘of that’

• दशांशतः: by one-tenth
• दशांशतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) — ‘by a tenth part / as one-tenth’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It links visualization (dhyāna) of Vishnu’s auspicious attributes with disciplined mantra-japa, showing that devotion is strengthened by both inner contemplation and precise practice.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as steady remembrance of Vishnu’s form (lotus, utpala, chakra, conch) followed by sustained japa—devotion made continuous through meditation and repeated divine name/mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual precision—fixed japa-saṅkhyā (count) and the daśāṃśa principle (one-tenth as a concluding/confirmatory rite), reflecting the technical discipline typical of kalpa-style practice.