Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

The Recitation of the Thousand Names of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (Yugala-Sahasranāma) and Śaraṇāgati-Dharma

Devanagari script

चरणाच्छरणं पश्चात्प्रपद्ये इति वै मनुः । मंत्रस्यास्य ऋषिः प्रोक्तो सुरभिश्छंद एव च ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

caraṇāccharaṇaṃ paścātprapadye iti vai manuḥ | maṃtrasyāsya ṛṣiḥ prokto surabhiśchaṃda eva ca || 12 ||

Translation

«من ملجأٍ أنتقل إلى ملجأٍ آخر؛ ثم بعد ذلك أستسلم وأتضرّع»، هكذا حقًّا (يقول) مانو. ولِهذا المانترا أُعلِنَ أن الرِّشي (ṛṣi) هو مانو، وأن الشَّندَس (chandas) هو سُرَبهي.

Word by Word

• चरणात्: from the feet
• चरणात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• प्रपद्ये: I take refuge; I surrender
• प्रपद्ये: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacya-sūcaka (वाच्यसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्त्रस्य: of the mantra
• मन्त्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• ऋषिः: seer (ṛṣi)
• ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रोक्तः: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुरभिः: Surabhi
• सुरभिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (नाम), प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• छन्दः: meter (chandas)
• छन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: only; indeed
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Vedanga/Mantra-technical context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Manu
• Surabhi (Chandas)

FAQs

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

It links inner surrender (prapatti/śaraṇāgati) with correct mantra-tradition: a mantra is not only meaning, but also lineage markers like ṛṣi and chandas, which preserve authenticity and efficacy.

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

By using the language of taking refuge and finally surrendering (prapadye), it points to bhakti as a movement from partial reliance to complete dependence on the Divine refuge, framed here as a mantra-sentence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (Vedic metre) and mantra-lakṣaṇa: the verse explicitly states the mantra’s ṛṣi (Manu) and its chandas (Surabhi), reflecting the Vedanga method used in ritual recitation and japa.