Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

तथा बालवपुःकृष्णं गोविंदं च तथा पुनः । दशार्णोऽतो भवेन्मंत्रो द्वात्रिंशदक्षरान्वितः ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

tathā bālavapuḥkṛṣṇaṃ goviṃdaṃ ca tathā punaḥ | daśārṇo'to bhavenmaṃtro dvātriṃśadakṣarānvitaḥ || 39 ||

Translation

وكذلك بإضافة عبارة «كريشنا داكن اللون ذو هيئة الطفل»، ثم بإضافة اسم «غوفيندا» مرةً أخرى، يصير المانترا صيغةً ذات عشرة مقاطع (دشارنا)، مشتملةً على اثنين وثلاثين حرفًا في صورتها الصوتية الكاملة.

Word by Word

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे (likewise/also)

• bāla-vapuḥ-kṛṣṇam: Krishna in child-form
• bāla-vapuḥ-kṛṣṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla + vapuḥ + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (descriptive): bāla-vapuḥ (child-form) qualifying kṛṣṇa

• govindam: Govinda
• govindam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction ‘and’)

• tathā: also
• tathā: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्त-समुच्चय (also)

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: again/further)

• daśa-arṇaḥ: ten-syllabled
• daśa-arṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: daśa (ten) + arṇa (syllable/letter) = ‘ten-syllabled’

• ataḥ: therefore/from this
• ataḥ: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात् (therefore/from this)

• bhavet: should be/becomes
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mantraḥ: the mantra
• mantraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dvātriṃśat-akṣara-anvitaḥ: endowed with thirty-two syllables
• dvātriṃśat-akṣara-anvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvātriṃśat + akṣara + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: dvātriṃśat (32) + akṣara (syllable) + anvita (endowed with)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Govinda
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches how a Vishnu/Krishna-focused mantra is deliberately expanded by adding specific divine epithets, emphasizing that precise formulation (syllables/letters) supports effective japa and focused bhakti.

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

By prescribing names and attributes like “child-form Krishna” and “Govinda,” the verse directs the mind to a personal, lovable form of the Lord—an essential bhakti method for steadiness in remembrance and worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-śāstra discipline tied to Vedanga concerns—especially śikṣā (phonetics) and vyākaraṇa (correct word-form), shown through daśārṇa (syllable-count) and dvātriṃśad-akṣara (letter/phoneme count) precision.