Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 147

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

Devanagari script

आहृत्य बल्लवीवस्त्राण्यारूढं नीपभूरुहे । स्मरेत्कृष्णं जपेद्रात्रौ सहस्रं खेंदूहात्सुधीः ॥ १४७ ॥

Transliteration

āhṛtya ballavīvastrāṇyārūḍhaṃ nīpabhūruhe | smaretkṛṣṇaṃ japedrātrau sahasraṃ kheṃdūhātsudhīḥ || 147 ||

Translation

เมื่อนำผ้าของเหล่าโคปีมาแล้วขึ้นสู่ต้นสะเดา ผู้มีปัญญาพึงระลึกถึงพระกฤษณะ และในยามราตรีหันหน้าไปยังท้องฟ้าและจันทร์ จึงสวดภาวนาพระนาม/มนต์หนึ่งพันจบ

Word by Word

• आहृत्य: having brought
• आहृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having brought’

• बल्लवीवस्त्राणि: cowherd-woman’s garments
• बल्लवीवस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल्लवी + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), बहुवचन; (बल्लव्याः वस्त्राणि) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• आरूढम्: having mounted/ascended
• आरूढम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘mounted/ascended’

• नीपभूरुहे: on a nīpa tree
• नीपभूरुहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीप + भूरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/अधिकरण), एकवचन; (नीपस्य भूरुहः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सहस्रम्: a thousand (times)
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• खें: sky (reading uncertain)
• खें: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/कर्म), एकवचन; (पाठभेद/संदिग्ध—‘खं’ = आकाशम्)

• इन्दूहात्: from the moon (text/reading uncertain)
• इन्दूहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु + ह (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/अपादान), एकवचन; (इन्दोः हात्/हातः) ‘from the moon-hand’ इति पाठसंदिग्ध; सम्भाव्यः अर्थः ‘चन्द्रात्’

• सुधीः: the wise person
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/mantra-vidhi sequence, traditionally in dialogue with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

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

It prescribes a focused bhakti-sādhana combining līlā-smaraṇa (remembering Krishna’s pastimes) with disciplined japa at night, emphasizing intensity (sahasra-japa) and one-pointed remembrance.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as smaraṇa (continuous remembrance of Krishna) supported by japa (repetition of the divine name/mantra), showing devotion as both inner contemplation and a regulated vow-like observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-application knowledge: timing (night practice), count-discipline (one thousand repetitions), and prescribed posture/orientation—elements aligned with prayoga/kalpa-style procedure within the text’s technical (vidhi) sections.