Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

अथाकाशादिस्थलेषु वासुदेवादिकांस्ततः । वासुदेवः संकर्षणः प्रद्युम्नश्चानिरुद्धकः ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

athākāśādisthaleṣu vāsudevādikāṃstataḥ | vāsudevaḥ saṃkarṣaṇaḥ pradyumnaścāniruddhakaḥ || 18 ||

Translation

பின்னர் ஆகாசம் முதலான தத்துவ நிலைகளில் வாசுதேவன் முதலான தெய்வ வடிவங்களைத் தியானிக்க வேண்டும்—வாசுதேவன், சங்கர்ஷணன், பிரத்யும்னன், அனிருத்தன்॥১৮॥

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: क्रियाविशेषण (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: मङ्गल/अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय (then/now)

• आकाश-आदि-स्थलेषु: in the loci such as space etc.
• आकाश-आदि-स्थलेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; locative plural; ‘in the places beginning with space’

• वासुदेव-आदिकान्: Vāsudeva and the others
• वासुदेव-आदिकान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; accusative plural; ‘Vāsudeva and others’

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमसूचक (thereafter)

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; nominative singular

• संकर्षणः: Saṅkarṣaṇa
• संकर्षणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; nominative singular

• प्रद्युम्नः: Pradyumna
• प्रद्युम्नः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; nominative singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• अनिरुद्धकः: Aniruddha
• अनिरुद्धकः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिरुद्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; nominative singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Sankarshana
• Pradyumna
• Aniruddha
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It directs the mind to meditate on Viṣṇu’s fourfold Vyūha—Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha—present throughout the elemental cosmos, making devotion a universal, all-pervading contemplation.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as upāsanā (devotional contemplation): recognizing the Lord’s specific forms and remembering them in every sphere of existence, beginning with ākāśa, rather than limiting worship to a single location.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It supports a structured dhyāna/upāsanā practice by mapping divine forms to cosmic categories (elemental ‘sthānas’), a method often used alongside mantra-recitation and ritual visualization in technical Vaishnava worship systems.