Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66
Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana
Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras
द्वादशार्णो मनुः प्रोक्तो नारदोऽस्य मुनिर्मतः । छंदः प्रोक्तं च गायत्री श्रीगोविन्दोऽस्य देवता । चन्द्राक्षियुगभूतार्णैः सर्वैः पंचांगकल्पनम् ॥ ६६ ॥
dvādaśārṇo manuḥ prokto nārado'sya munirmataḥ | chaṃdaḥ proktaṃ ca gāyatrī śrīgovindo'sya devatā | candrākṣiyugabhūtārṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ paṃcāṃgakalpanam || 66 ||
ഈ മന്ത്രം ദ്വാദശാർണ (പന്ത്രണ്ട് അക്ഷര) മനുവെന്ന് പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു; ഇതിന്റെ ഋഷി നാരദനെന്ന് കരുതുന്നു. ഛന്ദസ് ഗായത്രി, ദേവത ശ്രീഗോവിന്ദൻ. ചന്ദ്ര, അക്ഷി, യുഗ, ഭൂത എന്നീ എണ്ണപ്രകാരം എല്ലാ അക്ഷരങ്ങളാലും പഞ്ചാംഗ-കല്പന (അഞ്ചംഗ വിന്യാസം) നിർമ്മിക്കണം।
Sanatkumara (in dialogue context, instructing Narada on technical mantra-vidhi)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It formalizes a Viṣṇu/Govinda mantra through the classic mantra-lakṣaṇas—syllable-count (arṇa), ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā—showing that devotion is strengthened when worship is aligned with proper Vedic mantra-vidhi.
By naming Śrī Govinda as the devatā and prescribing a structured pañcāṅga arrangement, the verse frames bhakti not only as emotion but as disciplined remembrance and worship of Govinda through correctly understood mantra practice.
Chandas (metre) is explicitly identified as Gāyatrī, and the verse points to technical mantra-configuration (pañcāṅga-kalpanā) involving syllable-counting—material typically treated within Vedāṅga-style ritual and phonetic/metrical disciplines.