Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

विद्याप्रदश्च गोपालः कामो बीजं प्रकीर्तितम् । शक्तिस्तु वाग्भवं विद्याप्राप्तये विनियोजना ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

vidyāpradaśca gopālaḥ kāmo bījaṃ prakīrtitam | śaktistu vāgbhavaṃ vidyāprāptaye viniyojanā || 25 ||

Translation

‘ഗോപാലൻ’ വിദ്യ നൽകുന്നവനായി പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; ‘കാമ’ം ബീജം (ബീജാക്ഷരം) എന്നു പ്രഖ്യാപിതം. ശക്തി ‘വാഗ്ഭവ’; വിദ്യാപ്രാപ്തിക്കായുള്ള വിനിയോഗം ഇതുതന്നെ।

Word by Word

• vidyā-pradaḥ: giver of knowledge
• vidyā-pradaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक निपात)

• gopālaḥ: Gopāla
• gopālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāmaḥ: Kāma
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bījam: seed (bīja)
• bījam: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/निर्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• prakīrtitam: is proclaimed
• prakīrtitam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kīrt (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृदन्त: क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaktiḥ: the śakti (power)
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic

• vāk-bhavam: Vāgbhava (a bīja/mantra-syllable)
• vāk-bhavam: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/निर्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vidyā-prāptaye: for attainment of knowledge
• vidyā-prāptaye: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• viniyojanā: application/assignment (of the mantra)
• viniyojanā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viniyojanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the mantra-anga: nāma, bīja, śakti, viniyoga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gopala
• Kama
• Vagbhava

FAQs

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

It defines the mantra-components (name, bīja, śakti, and viniyoga), showing that knowledge is approached as a sacred attainment through disciplined mantra-upāsanā, not merely as secular study.

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

By identifying ‘Gopāla’ as the giver of vidyā, it places learning under divine grace—devotion to the Lord as Gopāla becomes the foundation for clarity of intellect and right understanding.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-vidhi used in ritual and recitation—especially the framework of bīja, śakti, and viniyoga, which is part of applied Vedic/Āgamic procedure relevant to correct chanting and usage.