Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । श्रुत्वेत्थं यजनं विप्रा मन्त्रध्यानपुरःसरम् । सर्वासामवताराणां नारदो देवदर्शनः ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | śrutvetthaṃ yajanaṃ viprā mantradhyānapuraḥsaram | sarvāsāmavatārāṇāṃ nārado devadarśanaḥ || 1 ||

Translation

Sūta sprach: O Brahmanen, nachdem ihr so von der Opferverehrung gehört habt, die von Mantra‑Rezitation und meditativer Versenkung (Dhyāna) eingeleitet wird, sprach Nārada, der Seher, der die Devas schaut, über alle göttlichen Herabkünfte (Avatāras).

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having heard’

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (thus/in this manner)

• यजनम्: worship/sacrifice
• यजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• विप्राः: O brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा-बहुवचन (vocative sense)

• मन्त्रध्यानपुरःसरम्: preceded by meditation on the mantra
• मन्त्रध्यानपुरःसरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र-ध्यान-पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (मन्त्रध्यानं पुरःसरं यस्य) — ‘preceded by mantra-meditation’

• सर्वासाम्: of all
• सर्वासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वा (सर्व-प्रातिपदिक, स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अवताराणाम्: of incarnations
• अवताराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवदर्शनः: god-seeing (seer of the gods)
• देवदर्शनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (देवानां दर्शनं यस्य / देवदर्शनः) — ‘one who has vision of the gods’

Speaker

Suta

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames ritual (yajana) as spiritually effective only when led by mantra and dhyāna, and it authorizes the coming teaching by presenting Nārada as a deva-darśin (one with direct divine vision).

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

By transitioning from properly performed worship into avatāra-narration, it signals that devotion matures through hearing sacred accounts of the Lord’s descents, grounded in mantra and meditation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights the applied ritual discipline of mantra-usage and meditative focus—core to Vedic practice—implying correct recitation and procedure (supported by śikṣā/phonetics and kalpa/ritual method).