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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

तथा बालवपुःकृष्णं गोविंदं च तथा पुनः । दशार्णोऽतो भवेन्मंत्रो द्वात्रिंशदक्षरान्वितः ॥ ३९ ॥

tathā bālavapuḥkṛṣṇaṃ goviṃdaṃ ca tathā punaḥ | daśārṇo'to bhavenmaṃtro dvātriṃśadakṣarānvitaḥ || 39 ||

Ebenso wird das Mantra, wenn man „Kṛṣṇa, dunkel getönt und in kindlicher Gestalt“ hinzufügt und erneut „Govinda“ ergänzt, zu einer zehnsilbigen Formel (daśārṇa), die in ihrer vollständigen Lautgestalt zweiunddreißig Buchstaben umfasst.

tathālikewise
tathā:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे (likewise/also)
bāla-vapuḥ-kṛṣṇamKrishna in child-form
bāla-vapuḥ-kṛṣṇam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbāla + vapuḥ + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (descriptive): bāla-vapuḥ (child-form) qualifying kṛṣṇa
govindamGovinda
govindam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootgovinda (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
caand
ca:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction ‘and’)
tathāalso
tathā:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; पुनरुक्त-समुच्चय (also)
punaḥagain/further
punaḥ:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpunaḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: again/further)
daśa-arṇaḥten-syllabled
daśa-arṇaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdaśa + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: daśa (ten) + arṇa (syllable/letter) = ‘ten-syllabled’
ataḥtherefore/from this
ataḥ:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootataḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात् (therefore/from this)
bhavetshould be/becomes
bhavet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhū (भू धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
mantraḥthe mantra
mantraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmantra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
dvātriṃśat-akṣara-anvitaḥendowed with thirty-two syllables
dvātriṃśat-akṣara-anvitaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvātriṃśat + akṣara + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: dvātriṃśat (32) + akṣara (syllable) + anvita (endowed with)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

K
Krishna
G
Govinda
V
Vishnu

FAQs

It teaches how a Vishnu/Krishna-focused mantra is deliberately expanded by adding specific divine epithets, emphasizing that precise formulation (syllables/letters) supports effective japa and focused bhakti.

By prescribing names and attributes like “child-form Krishna” and “Govinda,” the verse directs the mind to a personal, lovable form of the Lord—an essential bhakti method for steadiness in remembrance and worship.

It highlights mantra-śāstra discipline tied to Vedanga concerns—especially śikṣā (phonetics) and vyākaraṇa (correct word-form), shown through daśārṇa (syllable-count) and dvātriṃśad-akṣara (letter/phoneme count) precision.