Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

तारः कृष्णयुगं पश्चान्महाकृष्ण इतीरयेत् । सर्वज्ञ त्वंप्रशंशब्दांते सीदमेऽग्निश्च मारम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

tāraḥ kṛṣṇayugaṃ paścānmahākṛṣṇa itīrayet | sarvajña tvaṃpraśaṃśabdāṃte sīdame'gniśca māram || 31 ||

Translation

Selanjutnya ucapkan “Tāra”, lalu “Kṛṣṇa-yuga”, kemudian “Mahā-kṛṣṇa”. Pada akhirnya tambahkan kata-kata pujian “Wahai Yang Mahatahu, Engkau…”, serta ucapkan pula “Sīdama”, “Agni”, dan “Māra”.

Word by Word

• तारः: (the syllable/word) ‘tāra’
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्र-बीज/शब्दः (as a mantra-element)

• कृष्णयुगम्: the pair/sequence ‘kṛṣṇa’
• कृष्णयुगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण-युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कृष्णस्य युगम्/युगलम् = pair/sequence of ‘kṛṣṇa’)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (afterwards/then)

• महाकृष्णः: ‘mahākṛṣṇa’
• महाकृष्णः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् कृष्णः)

• इति: thus (as)
• इति: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक (quotative)

• ईरयेत्: should utter/recite
• ईरयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु; causative of √ईर् ‘to utter/move’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रेरणार्थ (causative sense: ‘should utter/recite’)

• सर्वज्ञ: O all-knowing one
• सर्वज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन; संबोधन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रशं: ‘praśaṃ’ (mantric segment)
• प्रशं: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रशं (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्; from √शंस् with pra-, used as mantra-element)
• Form: अव्यय; मन्त्राङ्ग-शब्द (mantric particle/segment)

• शब्दान्ते: at the end of the word/syllable
• शब्दान्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शब्दस्य अन्तः); अधिकरण (locative)

• सीदम्: ‘sīdam’ (mantric segment)
• सीदम्: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सीद (अव्यय/मन्त्राक्षर; from √सद् ‘to sink/sit’, used as mantra-element)
• Form: अव्यय; मन्त्राङ्ग-शब्द

• अग्निः: Agni / ‘agni’
• अग्निः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्राङ्ग-शब्द/नाम

• च: and
• च: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• मारम्: Māra / ‘māra’
• मारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्राङ्ग-शब्द/नाम

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within Vedanga/mantra-technical teaching)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Agni

FAQs

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

It models a precise, step-by-step mantra-sequence where divine names and praise-phrases are combined with technical mantra-words—showing that disciplined recitation (vidhi) is itself a means of sanctifying speech and mind.

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

By centering the recitation on Krishna-epithets (Kṛṣṇa, Mahā-kṛṣṇa) and concluding with praise (“O Omniscient One…”), it frames mantra as devotional address—bhakti expressed through correctly ordered nāma-utterance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Shiksha/Vyakarana-style discipline: the correct order of utterance (paścāt), fixed mantra-words, and prescribed endings—key features of technical recitation rules used in ritual and mantra practice.