Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 120

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

देवताबीजशक्ती तु पूर्वोक्ते साधकैर्मते । शंखचक्रधरं देवं चतुर्बाहुं किरीटिनम् ॥ १२० ॥

Transliteration

devatābījaśaktī tu pūrvokte sādhakairmate | śaṃkhacakradharaṃ devaṃ caturbāhuṃ kirīṭinam || 120 ||

Translation

Doch die Samen-Kraft der Gottheit (devatā-bīja-śakti) soll, gemäß der zuvor von den Übenden dargelegten Lehre, als der Gott betrachtet werden, der Muschel und Diskus trägt—vierarmig und gekrönt.

Word by Word

• देवता-बीज-शक्ती: the deity, seed (bīja), and power (śakti) (as a pair/dual expression)
• देवता-बीज-शक्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः—‘देवता च बीजं च शक्तिश्च’ इति त्रयाणां समाहारः; पाठे ‘शक्ती’ = शक्ति (dual)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• पूर्वोक्ते: in the previously stated (context)
• पूर्वोक्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘पूर्वं उक्ते’ = previously stated; अधिकरणे (locative)

• साधकैः: by practitioners
• साधकैः: Karana/Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• मते: in the opinion/doctrine
• मते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• शङ्ख-चक्र-धरम्: bearing conch and discus
• शङ्ख-चक्र-धरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—उपपद-तत्पुरुष (instrumental sense): ‘शङ्खं च चक्रं च धरति’

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चतुर्बाहुम्: four-armed
• चतुर्बाहुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—‘चत्वारः बाहवो यस्य’

• किरीटिनम्: crowned, wearing a diadem
• किरीटिनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किरीटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘-इन्’ प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It links mantra potency (bīja-śakti) with a concrete dhyāna-form: Vishnu as Śaṅkha-Cakra-dhārin, making inner contemplation the means to stabilize and awaken the mantra’s power.

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

By prescribing remembrance and visualization of Vishnu’s iconic attributes (conch and discus) and auspicious form (four arms, crown), it turns practice into personal devotion centered on the Lord’s recognizable svarūpa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical sādhanā method: mantra-bīja theory and dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography) used to support japa and worship procedures.