Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

तस्यामावाह्य चाभ्यर्चेद्गोपीजनमनोहरम् । मुखे वेणुं समभ्यर्च्य वनमालां च कौस्तुभम् ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

tasyāmāvāhya cābhyarcedgopījanamanoharam | mukhe veṇuṃ samabhyarcya vanamālāṃ ca kaustubham || 53 ||

Translation

L’ayant invoqué en ce lieu, qu’on adore le Seigneur qui charme le cœur des gopīs. Qu’on vénère la flûte (veṇu) à Ses lèvres, et qu’on rende aussi hommage à la guirlande des forêts (vanamālā) et au joyau Kaustubha.

Word by Word

• तस्याम्: in that (therein)
• तस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (in that [place/form])

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वाह् (धातु) → आवाह्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having invoked)

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

• अभ्यर्चेत्: should worship
• अभ्यर्चेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• गोपी-जन-मनोहरम्: the one charming to the gopīs
• गोपी-जन-मनोहरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोपीजनस्य मनोहरः = charming to the gopīs)

• मुखे: in/on the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वेणुम्: the flute
• वेणुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped well
• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-अर्च् (धातु) → समभ्यर्च्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having duly worshipped)

• वन-मालाम्: the forest-garland
• वन-मालाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (forest-garland)

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

• कौस्तुभम्: the Kaustubha jewel
• कौस्तुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in an instructional/ritual-teaching passage; framed within dialogue traditionally involving Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Gopis
• Kaustubha
• Venu (flute)

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is refined by precise upāsanā: the devotee invokes the Lord (āvāhana) and worships not only the deity-form but also His sacred emblems (flute, garland, Kaustubha), treating every attribute as a doorway to remembrance.

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

By naming Kṛṣṇa as “gopī-jana-manohara,” it centers bhakti on loving attraction to the Lord’s sweetness (mādhurya). The step-by-step worship—invocation and focused offerings—shows bhakti expressed through attentive ritual and continuous mental recollection.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application and correct procedure are emphasized: āvāhana (invocation), abhyarcana (formal worship), and worship of specific iconographic features—practical know-how aligned with kalpa-style ritual discipline within the Purāṇic tradition.