Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

पांचजन्यं गदा चक्रं वसुदेवश्च देवकी । नंदगोपो यशोदा च सगोगोपालगोपिकाः ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

pāṃcajanyaṃ gadā cakraṃ vasudevaśca devakī | naṃdagopo yaśodā ca sagogopālagopikāḥ || 74 ||

Translation

Pāñcajanya (the conch), the mace, and the discus; Vasudeva and Devakī; Nanda the cowherd and Yaśodā—together with the cows, the cowherd boys, and the cowherd maidens—are all to be remembered in contemplation as the Lord’s divine retinue.

Word by Word

• पाञ्चजन्यम्: Pāñcajanya (conch)
• पाञ्चजन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चजन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; neuter accusative singular

• गदा: mace
• गदा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; feminine nominative singular

• चक्रम्: discus
• चक्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; neuter nom/acc singular (context: item in list)

• वसुदेवः: Vasudeva
• वसुदेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; masculine nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction ‘and’)

• देवकी: Devakī
• देवकी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; feminine nominative singular

• नन्दगोपः: Nanda-gopa (Nanda the cowherd)
• नन्दगोपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द + गोप (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; masculine nominative singular; (नन्दस्य गोपः)

• यशोदा: Yaśodā
• यशोदा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशोदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; feminine nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• स: together with
• स: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; pronoun used adjectivally ‘with’ (in bahuvrīhi-like sense with following)

• गोगोपालगोपिकाः: cows, cowherd boys, and cowherd girls
• गोगोपालगोपिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + गोपाल + गोपिका (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (समूहवाचक), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; nominative plural; collective list

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition; verse lists objects/persons for devotional recollection)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pañcajanya
• Gadā (Kaumodakī)
• Cakra (Sudarśana)
• Vasudeva
• Devakī
• Nanda
• Yaśodā
• Gopālas
• Gopikās

FAQs

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

It teaches smaraṇa-bhakti: sanctifying the mind by remembering the Lord’s emblems (conch, mace, discus) and His intimate associates (parents in Mathurā and Vraja), which gathers the heart into single-pointed devotion.

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

By presenting a concrete list for remembrance—Hari’s weapons and Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja-līlā circle—it models bhakti as affectionate recollection (nāma/guṇa/parikara-smaraṇa) rather than abstract speculation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It most directly supports chandas/recitation practice and upāsanā-method: a memorisable litany used in japa, pūjā, or dhyāna; it is not primarily a technical teaching of vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa in this specific verse.