Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 149

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

Devanagari script

रहस्यं परमं चाथ वक्ष्ये मोक्षप्रदं नृणाम् । ध्यायेत्स्वहृत्सरसिजे देवकीनंदनं विभुम् ॥ १४९ ॥

Transliteration

rahasyaṃ paramaṃ cātha vakṣye mokṣapradaṃ nṛṇām | dhyāyetsvahṛtsarasije devakīnaṃdanaṃ vibhum || 149 ||

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ മനുഷ്യർക്കു മോക്ഷം നൽകുന്ന പരമ രഹസ്യം പറയുന്നു—സ്വഹൃദയകമലത്തിൽ സർവ്വവ്യാപിയായ ദേവകീനന്ദനൻ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണനെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• रहस्यम्: a secret (teaching)
• रहस्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; रहस्यम् इति विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (now/then)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall tell
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मोक्षप्रदम्: granting liberation
• मोक्षप्रदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; (मोक्षं प्रददाति) उपपद-तत्पुरुष; रहस्यम् इति विशेषणम्

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वहृत्सरसिजे: in the lotus of one’s own heart
• स्वहृत्सरसिजे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + हृत् + सरसिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/अधिकरण), एकवचन; (स्वस्य हृदि सरसिजम्) बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (locative sense)

• देवकीनन्दनम्: Devaki’s son (Krishna)
• देवकीनन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन; (देवक्याः नन्दनः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• विभुम्: the all-pervading/lordly one
• विभुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; देवकीनन्दनम् इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Devaki

FAQs

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

It presents an esoteric, liberation-giving instruction: steady inner meditation on the all-pervading Lord (Devakī’s son, Śrī Kṛṣṇa) seated in the heart-lotus as a direct means to mokṣa.

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

Bhakti is expressed as intimate inner upāsanā—remembering and contemplating Kṛṣṇa within one’s own heart—where devotion becomes continuous dhyāna rather than merely external worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical takeaway is upāsanā-vidhi (meditative procedure): establishing the deity in the heart-lotus and sustaining dhyāna—often supported by correct mantra pronunciation and disciplined practice (elements commonly systematized through Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa).