Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

कौस्तुभोद्भासितांगं च श्रीवत्सांकं सुभूषितम् । व्रजस्त्रीनेत्रकमलाभ्यर्चितं गोगणावृतम् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

kaustubhodbhāsitāṃgaṃ ca śrīvatsāṃkaṃ subhūṣitam | vrajastrīnetrakamalābhyarcitaṃ gogaṇāvṛtam || 49 ||

Translation

Sein Leib leuchtete vom Kaustubha-Juwel; herrlich geschmückt trug Er das glückverheißende Zeichen Śrīvatsa. Verehrt von den lotusgleichen Augen der Frauen von Vraja, war Er von Kuhherden umgeben.

Word by Word

• कौस्तुभ-उद्भासित-अङ्गम्: whose body shines with the Kaustubha jewel
• कौस्तुभ-उद्भासित-अङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (whose body is illumined by Kaustubha jewel)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• श्रीवत्स-अङ्कम्: bearing the Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्स-अङ्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (marked with Śrīvatsa)

• सुभूषितम्: well adorned
• सुभूषितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + भूष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (well-adorned)

• व्रज-स्त्री-नेत्र-कमल-अभ्यर्चितम्: worshipped by the lotus-eyes of the Vraja women
• व्रज-स्त्री-नेत्र-कमल-अभ्यर्चितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यर्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (worshipped by the lotus-like eyes of the women of Vraja)

• गो-गण-आवृतम्: surrounded by the herd of cows
• गो-गण-आवृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (surrounded by a herd of cows)

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Narada Purana’s instructional dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: madhura

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Kaustubha
• Srivatsa
• Vraja women
• Cows (Gogaṇa)

FAQs

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

It presents a dhyāna-style portrait of the Lord—identified by Kaustubha and Śrīvatsa—so the devotee can fix the mind on His auspicious form and cultivate steady bhakti.

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

Bhakti is shown as loving adoration: the Vraja women ‘worship’ Him through heartfelt, absorbed vision, while His presence among cows highlights intimate, everyday devotion rather than distant ritualism.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It supports śikṣā/dhyāna-prayoga in a practical sense: precise iconographic identifiers (Kaustubha, Śrīvatsa) function as mnemonic markers for correct visualization and recitation-based contemplation.