Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

संमोहयंश्च निजवामकरस्थलीलादंडेन गोपयुवतीः परसुंदरीश्च । दिश्यन्निजप्रियसखांसगंदक्षहस्तो देवश्रियं निहतकंस उरुक्रमो नः ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

saṃmohayaṃśca nijavāmakarasthalīlādaṃḍena gopayuvatīḥ parasuṃdarīśca | diśyannijapriyasakhāṃsagaṃdakṣahasto devaśriyaṃ nihatakaṃsa urukramo naḥ || 55 ||

Translation

May Urukrama—who, with the playful staff resting on the palm of his left hand, bewilders the cowherd maidens and other supremely beautiful women, and who, with his right hand upon his cheek, grants the splendor of divine fortune—he who slew Kaṃsa—bestow grace upon us.

Word by Word

• संमोहयन्: bewildering
• संमोहयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + मुह् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bewildering’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निज-वाम-कर-स्थली-लीला-दण्डेन: with the play-stick in his own left palm
• निज-वाम-कर-स्थली-लीला-दण्डेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थली (प्रातिपदिक) + लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः — ‘with the līlā-stick in (his) own left palm’

• गोप-युवतीः: the cowherd maidens (gopīs)
• गोप-युवतीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + युवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘cowherd maidens’

• पर-सुन्दरीः: other very beautiful women
• पर-सुन्दरीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः — ‘very/other beautiful women’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दिश्यन्: bestowing
• दिश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bestowing/showing’

• निज-प्रिय-सखान्: his dear friends
• निज-प्रिय-सखान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + सखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘his own dear friends’

• गण्ड-अक्ष-हस्तः: whose hand (playfully) touches cheek/eye
• गण्ड-अक्ष-हस्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः — ‘whose hand is (placed) on the cheek/eye’ (epithet; context: playful gesture)

• देव-श्रियम्: divine splendor/fortune
• देव-श्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘divine splendor/fortune’

• निहत-कंसः: slayer of Kaṃsa
• निहत-कंसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) + कंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः — ‘he by whom Kaṃsa was slain’

• उरुक्रमः: Urukrama (wide-strider)
• उरुक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरु (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — ‘wide-striding’ (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa epithet)

• नः: our / of us
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध—षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive) बहुवचन (enclitic); ‘of us/our’

Speaker

Narada (hymnic praise within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Urukrama (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Kamsa
• Gopis

FAQs

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

It is a devotional stuti that concentrates the mind on Urukrama (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa) through vivid līlā-images and his victory over Kaṃsa, teaching that remembrance and praise of the Lord invites divine śrī (auspicious fortune) and grace.

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

Bhakti is presented as affectionate contemplation (smaraṇa) and praise (stuti): by meditating on the Lord’s charming pastoral form and his protective power, the devotee seeks his anugraha (favor), making devotion both emotional (līlā) and theological (the slayer of evil).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse mainly functions as stotra-style devotion rather than a Vedāṅga lesson; practically, it models disciplined recitation and memorization (useful for śikṣā/chandas practice) through compact imagery and epithets like “Urukrama.”