Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

दक्षिणे वासुदेवाख्यं स्वच्छं चैतन्यमव्ययम् । वामे च रुक्मिणीं तदून्नित्यां रक्तां रजोगुणाम् ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

dakṣiṇe vāsudevākhyaṃ svacchaṃ caitanyamavyayam | vāme ca rukmiṇīṃ tadūnnityāṃ raktāṃ rajoguṇām || 58 ||

Translation

À droite se tient Vāsudeva — pur, conscience lumineuse et impérissable. À gauche se tient Rukmiṇī — Son éternelle contrepartie — d’une teinte rougeâtre et marquée par la qualité rajas (puissance dynamique).

Word by Word

• दक्षिणे: on the right (side)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (दक्षिणः/दक्षिणम् as direction), सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन

• वासुदेव-आख्यम्: named Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव-आख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वासुदेव-आख्य = named ‘Vāsudeva’)

• स्वच्छम्: pure/clear
• स्वच्छम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चैतन्यम्: consciousness
• चैतन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैतन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन

• अव्ययम्: imperishable/unchanging
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वामे: on the left (side)
• वामे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (direction/side), सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन

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

• रुक्मिणीम्: Rukmiṇī
• रुक्मिणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन

• तदून्-नित्याम्: ever-constant (epithet; uncertain reading)
• तदून्-नित्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तदून् (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ) + नित्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (तदून्-नित्या = ‘ever/constantly ...’ as epithet; reading uncertain)

• रक्ताम्: red
• रक्ताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• रजः-गुणाम्: of the rajas quality
• रजः-गुणाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रजसः गुणः यस्याः = having the quality of rajas)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Rukmini

FAQs

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

It encodes a meditational theology: Vāsudeva is contemplated as pure, imperishable consciousness, while Rukmiṇī is presented as His eternal śakti, the dynamic rajas principle—together forming a complete object of dhyāna.

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

Bhakti is supported by clear mental form (dhyāna): the devotee fixes the mind on Vāsudeva’s purity and eternity, while honoring Rukmiṇī as inseparable divine power, cultivating steady remembrance and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical, rule-based dhyāna and mūrti-lakṣaṇa (iconographic specification)—a practical discipline used in ritual visualization and worship manuals aligned with the Narada Purana’s Book 1.3 technical orientation.