Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

तारो ह्यद्भगवानङेंतो रुक्मिणीवल्लभाय च । वह्निजायावधिः प्रोक्तो मंत्रः षोडशवर्णवान् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

tāro hyadbhagavānaṅeṃto rukmiṇīvallabhāya ca | vahnijāyāvadhiḥ prokto maṃtraḥ ṣoḍaśavarṇavān || 46 ||

Translation

یہ سولہ حرفی منتر ‘تارا’ سے شروع ہو کر ‘وَہنی جایا’ پر ختم ہوتا ہے، اور رُکمِنی وَلّبھ بھگوان کے نام سے منسوب کرکے بتایا گیا ہے۔

Word by Word

• तारः: Tāra (the syllable 'oṃ'/tāra)
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अद्: (emphatic particle)
• अद्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद् (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; पाठभेद/उपपद-निपात (as in hyad-; emphatic)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• अङ्गे: O (dear one)
• अङ्गे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (सम्बोधन/निपातवत्: 'O friend/indeed')

• अन्तः: the end
• अन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• रुक्मिणी-वल्लभाय: to the beloved of Rukmiṇī
• रुक्मिणी-वल्लभाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिणी (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुक्मिण्याः वल्लभः); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Dative/Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• वह्नि-जाया-अवधिः: ending with (the word) 'vahnijāyā'
• वह्नि-जाया-अवधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + जाया (प्रातिपदिक) + अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (वह्नेः जाया; तदवधिः = up to 'vahnijāyā'); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• प्रोक्तः: has been stated
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (has been stated)

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

• षोडश-वर्णवान्: having sixteen syllables/letters
• षोडश-वर्णवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षोडश वर्णाः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative/Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Rukmini

FAQs

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

It defines a specific Vaiṣṇava mantra by its beginning and ending syllables and confirms its sixteen-syllable form, emphasizing disciplined mantra-knowledge (mantra-vidhi) as a means of devotion to Bhagavān (Kṛṣṇa, Rukmiṇī’s beloved).

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

By identifying the Lord as “Rukmiṇī’s beloved,” the verse frames mantra-japa not as mere sound-ritual but as personal devotion directed to Bhagavān with a relational, bhakti-centered focus.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra specification—syllable count (ṣoḍaśa-varṇa) and phonetic boundaries (start/end markers)—which aligns with Śikṣā (phonetics) and the procedural precision expected in mantra practice.