Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 73

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

दामानि पृष्ठयोर्वेणुं पुरः श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभौ । अग्रतो वनमासादिर्दिक्ष्वष्टसु तथा स्थिताः ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

dāmāni pṛṣṭhayorveṇuṃ puraḥ śrīvatsakaustubhau | agrato vanamāsādirdikṣvaṣṭasu tathā sthitāḥ || 73 ||

Translation

ഭഗവാന്റെ പൃഷ്ഠഭാഗത്ത് മാലകൾ തൂങ്ങുന്നു; അവിടെയേ വേണുവും സ്ഥിതമാണ്. മുൻവശത്ത് ശ്രീവത്സചിഹ്നവും കൗസ്തുഭമണിയും ദീപ്തമാണ്; കൂടാതെ അഗ്രഭാഗത്ത് വനമാല മുതലായ അലങ്കാരങ്ങൾ അഷ്ടദിക്കുകളിലും ക്രമമായി വിന്യസിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു എന്ന് ധ്യാനിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• दामानि: garlands/strings
• दामानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; neuter nominative plural

• पृष्ठयोः: of the two backs
• पृष्ठयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; neuter genitive dual

• वेणुम्: flute
• वेणुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; masculine accusative singular

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभौ: Śrīvatsa and Kaustubha (marks/jewel)
• श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीवत्स + कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; masculine nominative dual

• अग्रतः: in the front/fore
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; neuter accusative singular

• आसादिḥ: the one who approached/arrived
• आसादिḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु) → आसादिन्/आसादि (कृदन्त, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; agent-noun/participle-like: ‘one who approaches/attains’

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; feminine locative plural

• अष्टसु: in the eight (directions)
• अष्टसु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; numeral used adjectivally; locative plural ‘in eight’

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• स्थिताः: were stationed/stood
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; past passive participle used predicatively: ‘having stood/being placed’

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with Sanatkumara tradition; technical description style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Srivatsa
• Kaustubha
• Venu
• Vanamala

FAQs

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

It teaches sacred visualization and correct recognition of Viṣṇu’s auspicious identifiers—Śrīvatsa, Kaustubha, flute, and garlands—so devotion is anchored in a precise, traditional form (murti-lakṣaṇa).

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

By detailing Viṣṇu’s marks and ornaments, it guides devotees to meditate on and worship the Lord with focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and reverent, accurate ritual attention (upacāra).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a technical, śāstra-style method of deity specification and directional arrangement (dik-vinyāsa), supporting ritual correctness—an applied discipline aligned with Vedāṅga-oriented precision used in worship manuals.