Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 118

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

अच्युतानन्तगोविंदपदं ङेंतं नमोंतिमम् । मंत्रोऽस्य शौनकऋषिर्विराट् छंदः प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ ११८ ॥

Transliteration

acyutānantagoviṃdapadaṃ ṅeṃtaṃ namoṃtimam | maṃtro'sya śaunakaṛṣirvirāṭ chaṃdaḥ prakīrtitam || 118 ||

Translation

Il faut connaître la formule suprême du « namo », établie aux pieds sacrés d’Acyuta, d’Ananta et de Govinda. Pour ce mantra, Śaunaka est proclamé ṛṣi (voyant), et Virāṭ est annoncé comme le mètre (chandas).

Word by Word

• अच्युत-अनन्त-गोविन्द-पदम्: the word/term ‘Acyuta-Ananta-Govinda’ (the pada)
• अच्युत-अनन्त-गोविन्द-पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘अच्युतस्य अनन्तस्य गोविन्दस्य पदम्’

• ङेतम्: (unclear reading; possibly a technical term)
• ङेतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ङेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप (unclear/rare form in transmission)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; विसर्गान्त-निपात (particle/interjection)

• उत्तमम्: supreme, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• शौनक-ऋषिः: the sage Śaunaka
• शौनक-ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘शौनकः ऋषिः’

• विराट्: Virāṭ (metre)
• विराट्: Adhikarana/Predicate (अधिकरण/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (छन्दोनाम), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; छन्दः-नाम (name of metre)

• छन्दः: metre
• छन्दः: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is declared/proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्रकीर्तित’ = proclaimed/declared

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Narada–Sanatkumara teaching context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Acyuta
• Ananta
• Govinda
• Shaunaka
• Virat

FAQs

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

It frames a Vishnu-centered salutation-mantra as “supreme” and anchors it in mantra-science: the verse explicitly supplies the mantra’s ṛṣi (Śaunaka) and chandas (Virāṭ), indicating correct traditional handling for devotion and recitation.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as namaḥ (reverent surrender) directed to Vishnu through key epithets—Acyuta, Ananta, Govinda—highlighting remembrance of the Lord’s qualities while reciting a sanctified formula.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas-Vedāṅga practice: the verse identifies the mantra’s metre (Virāṭ) and its seer (Śaunaka), which are standard prerequisites in mantra-recitation protocols (ṛṣi–chandas identification) used in japa and ritual nyāsa.