Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 147

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

Devanagari script

आहृत्य बल्लवीवस्त्राण्यारूढं नीपभूरुहे । स्मरेत्कृष्णं जपेद्रात्रौ सहस्रं खेंदूहात्सुधीः ॥ १४७ ॥

Transliteration

āhṛtya ballavīvastrāṇyārūḍhaṃ nīpabhūruhe | smaretkṛṣṇaṃ japedrātrau sahasraṃ kheṃdūhātsudhīḥ || 147 ||

Translation

Ayant apporté les vêtements des jeunes vachères (gopī) et étant monté sur un arbre de neem, le sage doit se souvenir de Kṛṣṇa et, durant la nuit, répéter mille fois Son Nom ou Son mantra, le visage tourné vers le ciel et la lune.

Word by Word

• आहृत्य: having brought
• आहृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having brought’

• बल्लवीवस्त्राणि: cowherd-woman’s garments
• बल्लवीवस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल्लवी + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), बहुवचन; (बल्लव्याः वस्त्राणि) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• आरूढम्: having mounted/ascended
• आरूढम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘mounted/ascended’

• नीपभूरुहे: on a nīpa tree
• नीपभूरुहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीप + भूरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/अधिकरण), एकवचन; (नीपस्य भूरुहः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सहस्रम्: a thousand (times)
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• खें: sky (reading uncertain)
• खें: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन; (पाठभेद/संदिग्ध—‘खं’ = आकाशम्)

• इन्दूहात्: from the moon (text/reading uncertain)
• इन्दूहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु + ह (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/अपादान), एकवचन; (इन्दोः हात्/हातः) ‘from the moon-hand’ इति पाठसंदिग्ध; सम्भाव्यः अर्थः ‘चन्द्रात्’

• सुधीः: the wise person
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/mantra-vidhi sequence, traditionally in dialogue with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

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

It prescribes a focused bhakti-sādhana combining līlā-smaraṇa (remembering Krishna’s pastimes) with disciplined japa at night, emphasizing intensity (sahasra-japa) and one-pointed remembrance.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as smaraṇa (continuous remembrance of Krishna) supported by japa (repetition of the divine name/mantra), showing devotion as both inner contemplation and a regulated vow-like observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-application knowledge: timing (night practice), count-discipline (one thousand repetitions), and prescribed posture/orientation—elements aligned with prayoga/kalpa-style procedure within the text’s technical (vidhi) sections.