Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 110

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

कामो ङेंतो हृषीकेशो हृदयांतो गजाक्षरः । ऋषिर्ब्रह्मास्य गायत्री छंदो गायत्रमीरितम् ॥ ११० ॥

Transliteration

kāmo ṅeṃto hṛṣīkeśo hṛdayāṃto gajākṣaraḥ | ṛṣirbrahmāsya gāyatrī chaṃdo gāyatramīritam || 110 ||

Translation

ഇതിന്റ ആദി (ബീജം) ‘കാമ’, അന്തം ‘ഹൃഷീകേശ’; ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ‘ഗജ’ അക്ഷരം നിക്ഷിപ്തം. ഈ മന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ ഋഷി ബ്രഹ്മാ, ഛന്ദസ് ഗായത്രി എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധം.

Word by Word

• कामः: Kāma (desire-deity / name)
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ङे: the syllable “ṅe”
• ङे: Viśeṣya-nirdeśa (विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ङे (अव्यय/मन्त्राङ्ग-बीज)
• Form: बीजाक्षर/मन्त्र-व्यञ्जन (mantric seed-syllable), अव्ययवत्

• अन्तः: the ending
• अन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ending/termination’ अर्थे

• हृषीकेशः: Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• हृषीकेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हृदय: heart
• हृदय: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पाठानुसार ‘हृदय’ + ‘अन्तः’ पृथक्)

• अन्तः: the ending
• अन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गजाक्षरः: gajākṣara (a designated syllable/term)
• गजाक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘गजस्य अक्षरम्/अक्षरः’ (elephant-letter; name of a syllable/term)

• ऋषिः: seer (ṛṣi)
• ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्य: of this (mantra)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• छन्दः: meter (chandas)
• छन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गायत्रम्: Gāyatra (Gāyatrī-meter)
• गायत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ईरितम्: is declared
• ईरितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘उक्तम्/प्रोक्तम्’ अर्थे

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada, in Vedanga/mantra-viniyoga style exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa (Vishnu)
• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It encodes the mantra’s formal identity—its beginning, ending, heart-syllable, seer (ṛṣi), and metre (chandas)—showing that devotion to Vishnu (Hṛṣīkeśa) is practiced through disciplined Vedic mantra-application rather than mere recitation.

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

By naming Hṛṣīkeśa as the mantra’s terminal focus and prescribing the mantra’s chandas and ṛṣi, it frames bhakti as a precise sādhana: the devotee approaches Vishnu with correct mantra-structure, nyāsa placement (hṛdaya), and traditional authorization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (metre) and mantra-viniyoga conventions are highlighted—identifying the ṛṣi (Brahmā) and the Gāyatrī metre, along with technical mantra parts (ādi/anta and heart-akṣara) used in ritual recitation and nyāsa.