Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 115

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

ऋषिर्ब्रह्मा च गायत्री छन्दः श्रीधरदेवता । श्रीबीजं शक्तिरापेति बीजेनैव षडंगकम् ॥ ११५ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣirbrahmā ca gāyatrī chandaḥ śrīdharadevatā | śrībījaṃ śaktirāpeti bījenaiva ṣaḍaṃgakam || 115 ||

Translation

ഈ (മന്ത്ര/വിധി)യുടെ ഋഷി ബ്രഹ്മാവാണ്; ഛന്ദസ് ഗായത്രി; ദേവത ശ്രീധരൻ (വിഷ്ണു). ശക്തി ‘ശ്രീ’ ബീജമാണ്; അതേ ബീജംകൊണ്ടുതന്നെ ഷഡംഗവും സ്ഥാപിതമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ऋषिः: seer (ṛṣi)
• ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• छन्दः: meter (chandas)
• छन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीधरदेवता: the deity is Śrīdhara
• श्रीधरदेवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीधर + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रीधरः देवता यस्य/श्रीधरस्य देवता)

• श्रीबीजम्: the Śrī-seed syllable
• श्रीबीजम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रियाः बीजम्)

• शक्तिः: (its) śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• आपेति: goes/attains (is appended)
• आपेति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-इ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person singular

• बीजेन: with the seed
• बीजेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• षडङ्गकम्: six-limbed/sixfold (mantra)
• षडङ्गकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + अङ्गक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; समासः—द्विगु (षड् अङ्गानि यस्य)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual-vedāṅga context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu (Sridhara)
• Sri (as Śrī-bīja)

FAQs

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

It formalizes a Viṣṇu-mantra’s identity—ṛṣi, chandas, devatā, and śakti—showing that devotion is strengthened when worship is aligned with correct mantra-structure and nyāsa.

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

By naming Śrīdhara as the devatā and Śrī-bīja as the śakti, it presents bhakti as focused remembrance and ritualized invocation of Viṣṇu with Śrī (auspicious grace) as the empowering force.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (Vedic prosody) and mantra-vidhi are highlighted: the Gāyatrī metre is specified, and the ṣaḍaṅga framework (nyāsa limbs) is indicated as being set through the bīja.