Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

करे दधानं देवीभ्यां श्लिष्टं संचिंतयेद्विभुम् । लक्षं जपो दशांशेन जुहुयात्पायसेन तु ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

kare dadhānaṃ devībhyāṃ śliṣṭaṃ saṃciṃtayedvibhum | lakṣaṃ japo daśāṃśena juhuyātpāyasena tu || 42 ||

Translation

Deve-se meditar no Senhor que tudo permeia, segurando na mão o emblema pretendido e sendo abraçado pelas duas Deusas. Deve-se realizar um lakh de japa (100.000 repetições) e, em seguida, oferecer a décima parte disso como oblações, usando pāyasa (arroz-doce com leite).

Word by Word

• kare: in the hand
• kare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• dadhānam: holding
• dadhānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धृ धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘holding’

• devībhyām: with the two goddesses
• devībhyām: Sahakāraka (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd) / पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), द्विवचन; अत्र तृतीया (with two goddesses)

• śliṣṭam: embraced/closely joined
• śliṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śliṣ (श्लिष् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘embraced/closely joined’

• saṃcintayet: one should meditate/visualize
• saṃcintayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-cint (चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vibhum: the all-pervading Lord
• vibhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• lakṣam: a hundred thousand
• lakṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (a lakh/100,000)

• japaḥ: japa (repetition)
• japaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• daśāṃśena: by one-tenth (as a portion)
• daśāṃśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśāṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by a tenth part’

• juhuyāt: should offer (into fire)
• juhuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (हु धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pāyasena: with rice-milk pudding (pāyasa)
• pāyasena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (particle: indeed/and)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the ritual method)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi
• Two Goddesses (Devī-dvaya)

FAQs

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

It links inner worship (dhyāna of the Lord with the two Devīs) with outer worship (japa followed by homa), showing that mantra practice becomes complete when supported by correct visualization and sacrificial offering.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as loving contemplation of Vishnu in union with the divine Śrī (and accompanying Devī-power), combined with disciplined mantra repetition and offering—devotion made steady through regulated practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights prayoga-style ritual proportioning: a fixed japa count (lakṣa) and the daśāṃśa rule (one-tenth) for homa, along with the specified oblation substance (pāyasa), reflecting procedural precision typical of Kalpa-oriented practice.