Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

तारो नमो भगवते नन्दपुत्राय संवदेत् । आनन्दवपुषे दद्यादृशार्णं तदनंतरम् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

tāro namo bhagavate nandaputrāya saṃvadet | ānandavapuṣe dadyādṛśārṇaṃ tadanaṃtaram || 37 ||

Translation

Man soll zuerst die Tāraka (Praṇava) aussprechen und dann rezitieren: „Ehrerbietung dem Bhagavān, dem Sohn Nandas.“ Unmittelbar danach füge man die Silbe Ṛśa hinzu, gerichtet an Ihn, dessen eigene Gestalt Ānanda, selige Wonne, ist.

Word by Word

• तारः: the ‘tāra’ syllable (oṃ)
• तारः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मन्त्रबीज-नाम

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय (indeclinable usage of नमस्); उपपद-योगे चतुर्थ्यर्थ (dative sense)

• भगवते: to the Blessed Lord
• भगवते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• नन्द-पुत्राय: to Nanda’s son
• नन्द-पुत्राय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• संवदेत्: should utter/recite
• संवदेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आनन्द-वपुषे: to him whose form is bliss
• आनन्द-वपुषे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• दद्यात्: should add/give (utter next)
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ऋश-अर्णम्: the syllable ‘ṛś/ṛ’ (ṛ-letter)
• ऋश-अर्णम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋष्/ऋश् (वर्ण-नाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘ऋश्-वर्णयुक्तम् अर्णम्/अक्षरम्’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time/sequence)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the technical recitation/placement of mantra-syllables)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Nanda

FAQs

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

It prescribes a precise mantra-sequence: beginning with the saving praṇava and moving into devotion to Nanda’s son (Kṛṣṇa), indicating that liberation-oriented sound (oṃ) is joined with personal bhakti to the Lord of bliss-form.

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

Bhakti is expressed through direct salutation—“namo bhagavate”—specifically to Kṛṣṇa, while the mantra’s structure emphasizes disciplined remembrance (japa/uccāraṇa) rather than vague sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Vedāṅga-style technicality in mantra formation—ordering of utterance and addition of specific syllables (arṇa)—a feature connected with śikṣā (phonetics) and vyākaraṇa (correct form/usage) in ritual recitation.