Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 113

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

Devanagari script

इतरेतरबद्धकरप्रमदागणकल्पितरासविहारविधौ । मणिशंकुगमप्यमुना वपुषा बहुधा विहितस्वकदिव्यतनुम् ॥ ११३ ॥

Transliteration

itaretarabaddhakarapramadāgaṇakalpitarāsavihāravidhau | maṇiśaṃkugamapyamunā vapuṣā bahudhā vihitasvakadivyatanum || 113 ||

Translation

Dans le jeu quasi rituel de la danse rāsa, conçu par des groupes de jeunes filles aux mains enlacées, Lui—tout en se mouvant tel un pilier surmonté de joyaux—manifesta, par son propre corps, sa forme divine de multiples façons (se multipliant).

Word by Word

• itaretara-baddha-kara-pramadā-gaṇa-kalpita-rāsa-vihāra-vidhau: in the rāsa-sport procedure arranged by groups of women with hands bound to each other
• itaretara-baddha-kara-pramadā-gaṇa-kalpita-rāsa-vihāra-vidhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itaretara (प्रातिपदिक) + baddha (कृदन्त; √bandh बन्ध्) + kara (प्रातिपदिक) + pramadā (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpita (कृदन्त; √kḷp कल्प्) + rāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vihāra (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘vidhau’ = in the rite/mode; locative setting

• maṇi-śaṃku-gam: like a jeweled peg/pillar (jeweled stake-like)
• maṇi-śaṃku-gam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + śaṃku (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘-gam’ = going/like (as adjective)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थे = also/even

• amunā: by him
• amunā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘by him/with this’

• vapuṣā: with (his) body/form
• vapuṣā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• bahudhā: in many ways
• bahudhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahudhā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण = in many ways

• vihita-svaka-divya-tanum: having manifested his own divine body (forms)
• vihita-svaka-divya-tanum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vihita (कृदन्त; √dhā धा with vi-) + svaka (प्रातिपदिक) + divya (प्रातिपदिक) + tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; PPP vihita = made/manifested; qualifies implied object

Speaker

Narada (narration within the Narada Purana discourse tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Gopis

FAQs

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

It presents Krishna’s rāsa-līlā as a revelation of divinity: the Lord freely manifests multiple divine forms, teaching that the Supreme can be simultaneously present with all devotees.

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

By showing the Lord responding to the devotees’ loving circle-dance, the verse emphasizes intimate, personal devotion—Bhakti in which God becomes directly accessible and reciprocates with each devotee.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse uses precise poetic construction and compound-formation (Vyākaraṇa/grammar) to encode theology: terms like rāsa-vihāra-vidhi and divya-tanu convey a disciplined ‘mode’ of contemplation rather than a mere story.