Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 97

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

पूर्वाक्तवर्त्मना पूजा ज्ञेया ह्येषां मुनीश्वर । देवकीसुतवर्णांते गोविंदपदमुच्चरेत् ॥ ९७ ॥

Transliteration

pūrvāktavartmanā pūjā jñeyā hyeṣāṃ munīśvara | devakīsutavarṇāṃte goviṃdapadamuccaret || 97 ||

Translation

O Herr unter den Weisen, ihre Verehrung ist als nach dem zuvor dargelegten Verfahren vollzogen zu erkennen; und am Ende der Ausrufung „Sohn der Devakī“ soll man das Wort „Govinda“ sprechen.

Word by Word

• pūrva-ukta-vartmanā: by the previously stated method/path
• pūrva-ukta-vartmanā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त: √vac 'said') + vartman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('previously stated path'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• pūjā: worship
• pūjā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jñeyā: is to be understood/should be known
• jñeyā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु: ज्ञा 'to know')
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive: 'to be known'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis 'indeed')

• eṣām: of these
• eṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• munīśvara: O lord of sages
• munīśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सम्बोधन); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• devakī-suta-varṇa-ante: at the end of (the word) ‘Devakī-suta’
• devakī-suta-varṇa-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: devakī (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययार्थे सप्तमी ('at the end of the syllables/letters of “Devakī-suta”')

• govinda-padam: the word ‘Govinda’
• govinda-padam: Karma (कर्म/Object of 'uccaret')
• Type: Noun
• Root: govinda (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• uccaret: should utter/recite
• uccaret: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud√car (धातु: चर् 'to utter/move' with उद्; here 'to utter')
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/ritual instruction sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devakīsuta (Krishna)
• Govinda (Vishnu/Krishna)

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is strengthened when worship follows an authorized procedure and when Vishnu’s names are concluded properly—here, sealing the recitation with “Govinda,” a name invoking the Lord as protector and giver of spiritual nourishment.

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

Bhakti is shown as both heartfelt and disciplined: the devotee honors Krishna as “Devakī’s son” and then completes the praise with “Govinda,” emphasizing attentive, reverent name-recitation within a prescribed worship format.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Vedanga concerns with correct recitation and sequencing (śikṣā/phonetics and ritual order): the verse specifies exactly what word should be uttered and when, indicating precision in mantra/name usage during pūjā.