Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

वल्लभाय ततः पद्मात्रयं तत्वाक्षरो मनुः । मुन्यादिकं च पूर्वोक्तं सिद्धगोपालकं स्मरेत् ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

vallabhāya tataḥ padmātrayaṃ tatvākṣaro manuḥ | munyādikaṃ ca pūrvoktaṃ siddhagopālakaṃ smaret || 86 ||

Translation

त्यानंतर वल्लभासाठी पद्मत्रयाचे ध्यान करावे आणि ‘तत्त्व’ अक्षरयुक्त मंत्र-मनु जपावा. पूर्वोक्त मुनी आदींचे स्मरण करून भक्तीने सिद्ध-गोपालाचे चिंतन करावे।

Word by Word

• vallabhāya: to Vallabha (the beloved)
• vallabhāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• padma-trayam: the three lotuses
• padma-trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘three lotuses’

• tatva-akṣaraḥ: Tatvākṣara (the essential syllable)
• tatva-akṣaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tatva (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध) ‘the syllable of reality/essence’ (mantra-name)

• manuḥ: the mantra (manu)
• manuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• muni-ādikam: ‘muni’ and the rest (the following parts)
• muni-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘muni etc.’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Avyaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• pūrva-uktam: previously stated
• pūrva-uktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त, √vac)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘previously said’

• siddha-gopālakam: Siddha-Gopālaka
• siddha-gopālakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक) + gopālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘the perfected Gopālaka’ (name of mantra/deity)

• smaret: should remember/meditate on
• smaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vallabha
• Gopala
• Vishnu
• Krishna

FAQs

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

It outlines a structured method of devotional recollection—linking lotus-centres (padma-traya), seed-syllable (tattvākṣara), and the received mantra (manu)—so that remembrance of Siddha-Gopāla becomes spiritually effective and ‘perfected’ in practice.

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

Bhakti here is not only emotion but disciplined smaraṇa (remembrance): the devotee meditates on the Lord’s form (Vallabha/Gopāla) together with mantra components and the supporting sacred lineage (ṛṣis/attendants), integrating devotion with correct ritual-mental procedure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects mantra-vidhi used in ritual science—especially nyāsa/dhyāna conventions (placing/visualizing lotus-centres and recalling mantra-seers and associated deities), a technical feature aligned with Vedāṅga-style precision in liturgy and recitation practice.