Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

The Recitation of the Thousand Names of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (Yugala-Sahasranāma) and Śaraṇāgati-Dharma

Devanagari script

गोपकन्यावस्त्रहारी गोपकन्यावरप्रदः । यज्ञपत्न्यन्नभोजी च मुनिमानापहारकः ॥ ६६ ॥

Transliteration

gopakanyāvastrahārī gopakanyāvarapradaḥ | yajñapatnyannabhojī ca munimānāpahārakaḥ || 66 ||

Translation

هو الذي أخذ ثيابَ فتياتِ الغوبي؛ والذي منح الغوبياتِ نعمةً ومرادًا؛ والذي تناول طعامَ زوجاتِ القائمين باليَجْنَة؛ والذي أزال كبرياءَ الحكماء من المونِيّين.

Word by Word

• गोप-कन्या-वस्त्र-हारी: stealer of the cowherd-girls’ garments
• गोप-कन्या-वस्त्र-हारी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—स्तुत्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (गोपकन्यानां वस्त्राणि हरति इति)

• गोप-कन्या-वर-प्रदः: giver of boons to the cowherd-girls
• गोप-कन्या-वर-प्रदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—स्तुत्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गोपकन्यानां वरं प्रददाति)

• यज्ञ-पत्नि-अन्न-भोजी: eater of the food (offered) by the wives of the sacrificers
• यज्ञ-पत्नि-अन्न-भोजी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—स्तुत्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञपत्नीनाम् अन्नं भुङ्क्ते इति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• मुनि-मान-अपहारकः: remover of the sages’ pride
• मुनि-मान-अपहारकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—स्तुत्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मुनेः मानम् अपहरति इति)

Speaker

Narada (in a didactic listing of divine epithets within the Narada Purana’s instructional flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: hasya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Gopis
• Yajnapatnis
• Munis

FAQs

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

The verse strings together Krishna’s well-known līlās as theological markers: He tests and refines devotion (gopīs), redirects ritualism toward bhakti (yajñapatnīs), and dismantles spiritual pride (munis), showing that surrender and humility are central to dharma.

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

By recalling episodes where Krishna becomes the sole refuge—of the gopīs, the yajña-wives, and even accomplished sages—the verse teaches that bhakti matures when ego and mere external performance are replaced by wholehearted dependence on the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It indirectly critiques ritual-only yajña practice by highlighting the yajñapatnī episode: correct ritual orientation requires understanding purpose (yajña-artha) and right intention—aligning karma-kāṇḍa with devotion—an applied takeaway relevant to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharma-śāstra frameworks.