Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 92

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

श्रीशक्तिकामाः कृष्णाय कामः सप्ताक्षरः परः । कृष्णगोविंदकौ ङेंतौ हृदंतोऽन्यो नवाक्षरः ॥ ९२ ॥

Transliteration

śrīśaktikāmāḥ kṛṣṇāya kāmaḥ saptākṣaraḥ paraḥ | kṛṣṇagoviṃdakau ṅeṃtau hṛdaṃto'nyo navākṣaraḥ || 92 ||

Translation

శ్రీ, శక్తి, కామ ఫలాలను కోరువారికి పరమ సప్తాక్షర మంత్రం—‘కృష్ణాయ కామః’. అలాగే ‘ఙేం’ బీజాన్ని ముందుంచి, ‘కృష్ణ’ ‘గోవింద’ ఙే-అంత రూపాలతో, చివర ‘హృద్’తో ముగియునది మరో నవాక్షర మంత్రం.

Word by Word

• śrī-śakti-kāmāḥ: Śrī, Śakti, and Kāma
• śrī-śakti-kāmāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + śakti + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व: ‘śrīś ca śaktiś ca kāmaś ca’ (three seed-terms)

• kṛṣṇāya: to Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• kāmaḥ: Kāma
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sapta-akṣaraḥ: seven-syllabled
• sapta-akṣaraḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु: ‘sapta akṣarāṇi yasya’ (seven-syllabled)

• paraḥ: another
• paraḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kṛṣṇa-govindakau: Kṛṣṇa and Govinda
• kṛṣṇa-govindakau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa + govinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• ṅeṃtau: ṅeṃta-ending (both)
• ṅeṃtau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṅeṃta (प्रातिपदिक; technical)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; qualifying the dvandva

• hṛd-antaḥ: ending with ‘hṛd’ (technical)
• hṛd-antaḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛd + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (technical): ending with ‘hṛd’

• anyaḥ: another
• anyaḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nava-akṣaraḥ: nine-syllabled
• nava-akṣaraḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु: ‘nava akṣarāṇi yasya’ (nine-syllabled)

Speaker

Narada (teaching mantra-vidya within Vedanga/technical instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Govinda
• Sri
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It classifies Kṛṣṇa-focused mantras by syllable-count (saptākṣara/navākṣara) and links them to specific aims—Śrī, Śakti, and Kāma—showing how devotion is applied through technically defined mantra-forms.

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

Bhakti is expressed as upāsanā through the Lord’s names (Kṛṣṇa, Govinda) used in japa; the verse indicates that sincere recitation of these name-mantras is a direct devotional means for attaining divine grace and desired blessings.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-lakṣaṇa: the practical method of identifying and using mantras by akṣara-count, along with technical elements like bīja-prefixes and prescribed endings—features relevant to disciplined ritual recitation (japa/nyāsa traditions).