Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

नंदपुत्राय तत्पश्चाद्बालान्ते वपुषे पदम् । ऊनविंशतिवर्णोऽयं मुनिर्ब्रह्मा समीरितः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

naṃdaputrāya tatpaścādbālānte vapuṣe padam | ūnaviṃśativarṇo'yaṃ munirbrahmā samīritaḥ || 44 ||

Translation

त्यानंतर ‘नंदपुत्राय’ हे पद घालावे, आणि ‘बाल’ शब्दाच्या शेवटी जसा रूपान्त येतो तसा ‘वपुषे’ हा शब्द ठेवावा। हा मंत्र एकोणवीस वर्णांचा आहे—असे मुनि ब्रह्मांनी सांगितले।

Word by Word

• नन्द-पुत्राय: to Nanda's son
• नन्द-पुत्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नन्दस्य पुत्रः); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Dative/Singular)

• तत्: that/thereupon
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (here adverbial with paścāt)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (afterwards)

• बाल-अन्ते: at the end of (the word) bāla
• बाल-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (बालस्य अन्ते); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative/Singular)

• वपुषे: to/for the form (vapuḥ)
• वपुषे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Dative/Singular)

• पदम्: the word/term
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (here as object: Accusative/Singular)

• ऊन-विṃशति-वर्णः: having nineteen syllables/letters
• ऊन-विṃशति-वर्णः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊन (प्रातिपदिक) + विंशति (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (विंशतेः ऊनः = 19; तद्वर्णः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• मुनिः: the sage (ṛṣi)
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• समीरितः: has been declared/uttered
• समीरितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ईर् (धातु) → समीरित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (has been uttered/declared)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/vedāṅga-style enumeration; attributed to Brahmā as authority)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Nanda
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that devotion to Kṛṣṇa (Nanda’s son) is supported by precise mantra-knowledge: sacred names are not arbitrary but preserved through exact phonetic form and syllable-count, validated by Brahmā’s authority.

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

Bhakti here is shown as disciplined remembrance—chanting and invoking Kṛṣṇa through correctly formed names/mantras. The verse links loving worship to accurate recitation and traditional transmission.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa: attention to phonetic segments (e.g., “bāla”-ending), mantra construction as a “padam,” and counting varṇas (syllables/letters) to preserve correct chanting and ritual usage.