Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

वासुदेवादिका ज्ञेया ङेंताः साधकसत्तमैः । प्राणायामं ततः कृत्वा पूरकुम्भकरेचकैः ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

vāsudevādikā jñeyā ṅeṃtāḥ sādhakasattamaiḥ | prāṇāyāmaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā pūrakumbhakarecakaiḥ || 22 ||

Translation

The best of practitioners should understand the mantric syllables beginning with “Vāsudeva” as the guiding set. Then, performing prāṇāyāma, one should proceed with pūraka (inhalation), kumbhaka (retention), and recaka (exhalation).

Word by Word

• वासुदेव-आदिकाः: beginning with Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव-आदिकाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘beginning with Vāsudeva’

• ज्ञेयाः: should be known
• ज्ञेयाः: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-तव्यत्/यत् (Gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘to be known/should be known’

• ङे-न्ताः: those ending with ‘ṅe’
• ङे-न्ताः: Karta (कर्ता) (as topic/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ङे (प्रत्याहार/प्रातिपदिकवत्) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘ending in ṅe’ (technical grammatical designation)

• साधक-सत्तमैः: by the best practitioners
• साधक-सत्तमैः: Karta (कर्ता) (agent in passive/gerundive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent/instrumental)

• प्राणायामम्: breath-control (prāṇāyāma)
• प्राणायामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रम/अनन्तर-अर्थे (then/thereafter)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive); ‘having done/performed’

• पूरक-कुम्भक-रेचकैः: by inhalation, retention, and exhalation
• पूरक-कुम्भक-रेचकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरक (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भक (प्रातिपदिक) + रेचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)—with inhalation, retention, exhalation

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It links Vishnu-centric mantra practice (beginning with “Vāsudeva”) to yogic breath-discipline, showing that steady prāṇa regulation supports focused remembrance and effective japa.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as disciplined remembrance of Vāsudeva supported by yogic method—breath control is used to steady the mind so devotion becomes continuous and undistracted.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical, practice-oriented framework is emphasized: the structured sequence of prāṇāyāma—pūraka, kumbhaka, recaka—applied as an aid to mantra recitation and ritual discipline.