Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72

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

Devanagari script

कृष्णं च वासुदेवं च देवकीनन्दनं तथा । नारायणं यदुश्रेष्ठं वार्ष्णेयं धर्मपालकम् ॥ ७२ ॥

Transliteration

kṛṣṇaṃ ca vāsudevaṃ ca devakīnandanaṃ tathā | nārāyaṇaṃ yaduśreṣṭhaṃ vārṣṇeyaṃ dharmapālakam || 72 ||

Translation

Je me prosterne devant Kṛṣṇa — Vāsudeva, fils de Devakī ; devant Nārāyaṇa, le plus éminent des Yadus ; devant le héros Vārṣṇeya, protecteur et soutien du Dharma.

Word by Word

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

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

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• देवकीनन्दनम्: son of Devakī
• देवकीनन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘देवक्याः नन्दनः’)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यदुश्रेष्ठम्: best of the Yadus
• यदुश्रेष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदु + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘यदूनां श्रेष्ठः’)

• वार्ष्णेयम्: descendant of Vṛṣṇi
• वार्ष्णेयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वंशवाचक (descendant of Vṛṣṇi)

• धर्मपालकम्: protector of dharma
• धर्मपालकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उपपद/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘धर्मस्य पालकः’)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vasudeva
• Devaki
• Narayana
• Yadu lineage
• Vrsni (Varsneya)

FAQs

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

It centers devotion on a single Supreme reality addressed through multiple sacred names—Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, Devakīnandana, and Nārāyaṇa—affirming that remembering and praising the Lord as the protector of Dharma is itself a purifying spiritual act.

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

By stringing together epithets of the Lord, the verse models nāma-smṛti and stuti—devotional remembrance through divine names—highlighting affectionate, personal relationship (Devakīnandana) alongside cosmic sovereignty (Nārāyaṇa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not teaching a specific Vedāṅga rule, it demonstrates a key Vyākaraṇa-style insight used in Purāṇic instruction: meaningful epithets (nāma/guṇa-nāma) convey theology—lineage (Yaduśreṣṭha, Vārṣṇeya) and function (Dharmapālaka)—supporting precise devotional recitation.