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

Sesudah itu, gelaran suci ditetapkan bagi Putera Nanda, menurut bentuk yang muncul pada hujung kata “bāla”. Bentuk mantra ini terdiri daripada sembilan belas suku kata—demikianlah dinyatakan oleh resi Brahmā.

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.