Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 94

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

श्यामलांगाय हृदयं दशार्णः सर्वसिद्धिदः । बालांते वपुषे कृष्णायाग्निजायांतिमोऽपरः ॥ ९४ ॥

Transliteration

śyāmalāṃgāya hṛdayaṃ daśārṇaḥ sarvasiddhidaḥ | bālāṃte vapuṣe kṛṣṇāyāgnijāyāṃtimo'paraḥ || 94 ||

Translation

ശ്യാമലാംഗനായ പ്രഭുവിന് ഹൃദയമന്ത്രം ദശാർണ (ദശാക്ഷരി) മന്ത്രമാണ്; അത് സർവ്വസിദ്ധി നൽകുന്നു. ബാലരൂപത്തിന്റെ അവസാനം അഗ്നികന്യ ‘കൃഷ്ണാ’യ്ക്കായി അന്തിമമായ അധികമന്ത്രം നിർദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• śyāmala-aṅgāya: to the dark-limbed one
• śyāmala-aṅgāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śyāmala (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('श्यामलम् अङ्गम् यस्य'); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• hṛdayam: heart
• hṛdayam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd: Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• sarva-siddhi-daḥ: giver of all attainments
• sarva-siddhi-daḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + da (धातु: दा/दे 'to give')
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; कृदन्त (उपपद-समास) 'सर्वसिद्धिं ददाति' → 'सर्वसिद्धिदः'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• bāla-ante: at the end of childhood
• bāla-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययार्थे सप्तमी ('at the end/phase of childhood')

• vapuṣe: to the body/form
• vapuṣe: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kṛṣṇāya: to Krishna
• kṛṣṇāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• agnijāya: to Agnijā (a name/epithet)
• agnijāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agnijā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• antimaḥ: last/final
• antimaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• aparaḥ: other/another
• aparaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Krishna
• Agni
• Kṛṣṇā

FAQs

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

It identifies a specific hṛdaya-mantra (heart formula) for the dark-limbed deity-form and states its fruit as sarva-siddhi—completeness in spiritual and ritual attainments—showing how mantra is linked to inner realization through nyāsa.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as mantra-centered worship: the devotee approaches the deity’s form (vapuṣ) with a prescribed heart-mantra, aligning mind and body in reverent practice rather than mere external ritual.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects mantra-śāstra and ritual application (a Vedāṅga-adjacent technical discipline): the use of syllable-counted formulas (daśārṇa) and their placement as hṛdaya/nyāsa components within a structured worship sequence.