Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 134

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

बालः पवनदीर्घैदुयुक्तो झिंटीशयुर्जलम् । अत्रिर्व्यासाय हृदयं मनुरष्टाक्षरोऽवतु ॥ १३४ ॥

Transliteration

bālaḥ pavanadīrghaiduyukto jhiṃṭīśayurjalam | atrirvyāsāya hṛdayaṃ manuraṣṭākṣaro'vatu || 134 ||

Translation

Que le mantra aux huit syllabes nous protège : le Seigneur à l’innocence d’un enfant, uni au long souffle du vent ; l’eau où repose la plante jhiṃṭī ; le ṛṣi Atri ; et le cœur offert à Vyāsa — que ce mantra de huit syllabes soit notre sauvegarde.

Word by Word

• बालः: Bāla (name/epithet)
• बालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पवनदीर्घैदुयुक्तः: endowed with pavan-long ‘ai’ and ‘du’ (phonetic specification)
• पवनदीर्घैदुयुक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of बालः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + ऐ (स्वर/वर्ण-प्रातिपदिक) + दु (स्वर/वर्ण-प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘युक्त’; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): ‘पवन-दीर्घ-ऐ-दु-युक्त’ = endowed/combined with (the) long ‘ai’ and ‘du’ (with pavan-qualifier)

• झिंटीशयुः: Jhiṃṭīśayu (name/term)
• झिंटीशयुः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: झिंटीशयु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (नाम/मन्त्र-शब्द)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अत्रिः: Atri
• अत्रिः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• व्यासाय: for Vyāsa
• व्यासाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative: for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अष्टाक्षरः: eight-syllabled
• अष्टाक्षरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of मनुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical): ‘अष्ट अक्षराणि यस्य’ = having eight syllables

• अवतु: may (he) protect
• अवतु: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/विधिलिङ्-समकक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (in an enumerative/technical listing within Vedāṅga-mantra discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Atri
• Ashtakshara Mantra (Om Namo Narayanaya)

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective invocation (avatu) for the aṣṭākṣara—understood in Vaiṣṇava tradition as “oṃ namo nārāyaṇāya”—presented with cryptic, mantra-coded descriptors to indicate its hidden potency and sanctity.

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

By centering protection and refuge in the aṣṭākṣara addressed to Nārāyaṇa, the verse implies that devotion expressed through mantra-japa and remembrance is a direct means of safeguarding the heart and steadying the mind toward Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects mantra-vidyā style usage—coded syllabic terms and epithetical markers—showing how technical recitation traditions (linked with Śikṣā/phonetics and mantra-prayoga) frame a mantra as both meaning and sound-power.