Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 107

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

Devanagari script

रात्रौ चेन्मदनाक्रांतचेतसं नन्दनन्दनम् । यजेद्रासपरिश्रांतं गोपीमंडलमध्यगम् ॥ १०७ ॥

Transliteration

rātrau cenmadanākrāṃtacetasaṃ nandanandanam | yajedrāsapariśrāṃtaṃ gopīmaṃḍalamadhyagam || 107 ||

Translation

രാത്രിയിൽ മനസ്സ് കാമവശമായി ആക്രാന്തമാകുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, രാസലീലയിൽ ക്ഷീണിച്ചും ഗോപീമണ്ഡലത്തിന്റെ മദ്ധ്യേ നിലകൊള്ളുന്ന നന്ദനന്ദനൻ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണനെ ആരാധിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: सम्बन्ध (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-निपात (conditional particle)

• मदन-आक्रान्त-चेतसम्: whose mind is overcome by love (Cupid)
• मदन-आक्रान्त-चेतसम्: कर्मविशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)+आ+क्रम् (धातु)+चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—मदनेन आक्रान्तं चेतः यस्य (तत्पुरुष; ‘mind overcome by Cupid’)

• नन्द-नन्दनम्: Nanda’s son (Krishna)
• नन्द-नन्दनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक)+नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—नन्दस्य नन्दनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातुः—यज् ‘देवपूजासंगतिकरणदानेषु’

• रास-परिश्रान्तम्: wearied from the rāsa-dance
• रास-परिश्रान्तम्: कर्मविशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रास (प्रातिपदिक)+परि+श्रम् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—रासेन परिश्रान्तः (तत्पुरुष)

• गोपी-मण्डल-मध्य-गम्: standing in the midst of the circle of gopīs
• गोपी-मण्डल-मध्य-गम्: कर्मविशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)+मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)+मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)+गम् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—गोपीमण्डलस्य मध्ये गतः (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; ‘gone/standing in the midst’)

Speaker

Narada (teaching, in a didactic/ritual-instruction context; traditionally framed within Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Nanda
• Gopis
• Madana (Kama)

FAQs

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

It prescribes a devotional remedy: when the mind is disturbed by desire at night, one redirects that energy into Kṛṣṇa-upāsanā by contemplating and worshipping Śrī Kṛṣṇa in a specific sacred form (Rāsa context), transforming passion into bhakti.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical inner discipline: instead of suppressing the mind, the devotee consciously fixes it on Kṛṣṇa (Nanda-nandana) through a vivid devotional visualization, making remembrance and worship the means to purify emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-application of dhyāna and manasika-pūjā (mental worship) with time-specific instruction (rātrau—night), aligning practice with disciplined observance rather than grammar/astrology directly.