Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 93

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

ङेंतौ च कृष्णगोविंदौ तथा कामः पुटः परः । कामः शार्ङ्गी धरासंस्थो मन्विंद्वाढ्यश्च मन्मथः ॥ ९३ ॥

Transliteration

ṅeṃtau ca kṛṣṇagoviṃdau tathā kāmaḥ puṭaḥ paraḥ | kāmaḥ śārṅgī dharāsaṃstho manviṃdvāḍhyaśca manmathaḥ || 93 ||

Translation

അവൻ ‘ങേന്തൗ’ എന്ന പേരിലും പ്രസിദ്ധൻ; അവൻ തന്നേ കൃഷ്ണനും ഗോവിന്ദനും; അതുപോലെ കാമൻ, പുടൻ, പരൻ എന്നും അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു. അവൻ ശാർങ്ഗധനുസ്സധാരി, ഭൂമിയിൽ സ്ഥാപിതൻ, മന്വിന്ദ്വാഢ്യൻ, മന്മഥൻ.

Word by Word

• ṅeṃtau: (the two) ṅeṃta (a name/epithet)
• ṅeṃtau: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṅeṃta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle: 'and')

• kṛṣṇa-govindau: Krishna and Govinda
• kṛṣṇa-govindau: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + govinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'likewise/also')

• kāmaḥ: Kāma (desire; the deity of love)
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• puṭaḥ: Puṭa (a name/epithet)
• puṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• paraḥ: supreme/other
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

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

• śārṅgī: Śārṅgī (bearer of the Śārṅga bow)
• śārṅgī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śārṅgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• dharā-saṃsthaḥ: situated on the earth
• dharā-saṃsthaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharā (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: 'on/in the earth'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• manviṃdvāḍhyaḥ: Manviṃdvāḍhya (a name/epithet)
• manviṃdvāḍhyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manv-indu-āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक: manv(=manu?) + indu + āḍhya)
• Form: समास (अनिश्चित-पाठ/दुर्लभ-प्रातिपदिक); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: 'and')

• manmathaḥ: Manmatha (Kāma)
• manmathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manmatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (instructing within a Vedanga/technical enumeration context, traditionally framed in dialogue with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Govinda
• Sharnga

FAQs

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

The verse functions as a sacred-name enumeration: it presents multiple epithets pointing to one Supreme reality (Para) who is also approached devotionally as Krishna/Govinda and iconographically as Śārṅgī (Vishnu with the Śārṅga bow), encouraging contemplation and name-recitation as a spiritual discipline.

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

By stringing together many divine names, the text highlights nāma-smaraṇa/nāma-japa: devotion deepens when the devotee repeatedly remembers the Lord through varied attributes—supreme transcendence (Para), intimate sweetness (Krishna/Govinda), and protective power (Śārṅgī).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This is characteristic of a technical, mnemonic listing used in Vedanga-adjacent traditions: preserving authoritative name-forms for correct recitation, phonetics, and ritual/mantra usage (especially relevant to śikṣā and vyākaraṇa concerns about exact wording).