Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

शक्तिश्रीमारपूर्वश्च श्रीशक्तिस्मरपूर्वकः । मारशक्तिरमापूर्वो दशार्णा मनवस्त्रयः ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

śaktiśrīmārapūrvaśca śrīśaktismarapūrvakaḥ | māraśaktiramāpūrvo daśārṇā manavastrayaḥ || 2 ||

Translation

Drei Manus werden genannt: einer, dem die Namen Śakti, Śrī und Māra vorangehen; ein anderer, dem Śrī, Śakti und Smara vorangehen; und ein dritter, dem Māra, Śakti und Ramā vorangehen—dies sind die drei mit Daśārṇā verbundenen Manus.

Word by Word

• शक्ति-श्री-मार-पूर्वः: with Śakti, Śrī, Māra as preceding elements
• शक्ति-श्री-मार-पूर्वः: विशेषण (Qualifier—of an implied mantra/series)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + मार (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (पूर्वपद-निर्देशः: ‘having Śakti, Śrī, Māra as prefixes/preceding’)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• श्री-शक्ति-स्मर-पूर्वकः: having Śrī-Śakti-S्मर as a prefix/precedent
• श्री-शक्ति-स्मर-पूर्वकः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मर (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (‘having Śrī-Śakti-S्मर as preceding’)

• मार-शक्ति-रमा-पूर्वः: with Māra, Śakti, Ramā as preceding elements
• मार-शक्ति-रमा-पूर्वः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मार (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + रमा (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (‘with Māra-Śakti-Ramā preceding’)

• दश-अर्णाः: ten-syllabled
• दश-अर्णाः: विशेषण (Qualifier—of mantras)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—द्विगु (दश अर्णानि/अक्षराणि यस्य = ‘ten-syllabled’)

• मनवः: mantras (lit. ‘Manus’; here: mantra-forms)
• मनवः: कर्ता/वाक्य-प्रधान (Main subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् मनवः इति विशेष्यस्य

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in an enumerative/technical register)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Śakti
• Śrī
• Māra
• Smara
• Ramā
• Daśārṇā (Daśārṇa)

FAQs

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

It preserves the Purāṇic framework of cosmic administration by naming specific Manus, reinforcing the idea that dharma and social order are periodically re-established through designated Manu-lineages.

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

This verse is primarily genealogical rather than devotional; indirectly, it supports bhakti practice by grounding sacred history and lineage-memory that later sections use to contextualize vows, worship, and dharma under different Manus.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a Vedāṅga-like cataloguing method—precise naming and ordering used for Purāṇic chronology, lineage tracking, and traditional memorization (anukrama-style enumeration).