Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

तस्यामावाह्य चाभ्यर्चेद्गोपीजनमनोहरम् । मुखे वेणुं समभ्यर्च्य वनमालां च कौस्तुभम् ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

tasyāmāvāhya cābhyarcedgopījanamanoharam | mukhe veṇuṃ samabhyarcya vanamālāṃ ca kaustubham || 53 ||

Translation

Nachdem man Ihn dort herbeigerufen hat, verehre man den Herrn, der die Herzen der Gopīs entzückt. Verehre die Flöte (Veṇu) an Seinem Mund und ebenso die Waldgirlande (Vanamālā) und das Kaustubha-Juwel.

Word by Word

• तस्याम्: in that (therein)
• तस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (in that [place/form])

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वाह् (धातु) → आवाह्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having invoked)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अभ्यर्चेत्: should worship
• अभ्यर्चेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• गोपी-जन-मनोहरम्: the one charming to the gopīs
• गोपी-जन-मनोहरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोपीजनस्य मनोहरः = charming to the gopīs)

• मुखे: in/on the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वेणुम्: the flute
• वेणुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped well
• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-अर्च् (धातु) → समभ्यर्च्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having duly worshipped)

• वन-मालाम्: the forest-garland
• वन-मालाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (forest-garland)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कौस्तुभम्: the Kaustubha jewel
• कौस्तुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in an instructional/ritual-teaching passage; framed within dialogue traditionally involving Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Gopis
• Kaustubha
• Venu (flute)

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is refined by precise upāsanā: the devotee invokes the Lord (āvāhana) and worships not only the deity-form but also His sacred emblems (flute, garland, Kaustubha), treating every attribute as a doorway to remembrance.

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

By naming Kṛṣṇa as “gopī-jana-manohara,” it centers bhakti on loving attraction to the Lord’s sweetness (mādhurya). The step-by-step worship—invocation and focused offerings—shows bhakti expressed through attentive ritual and continuous mental recollection.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application and correct procedure are emphasized: āvāhana (invocation), abhyarcana (formal worship), and worship of specific iconographic features—practical know-how aligned with kalpa-style ritual discipline within the Purāṇic tradition.