Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 144

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

Devanagari script

शीलसौंदर्यनिलया नन्दनन्दनलालिता । अशोकवनसंवासा भांडीरवनसङ्गता ॥ १४४ ॥

Transliteration

śīlasauṃdaryanilayā nandanandanalālitā | aśokavanasaṃvāsā bhāṃḍīravanasaṅgatā || 144 ||

Translation

Sie ist die Wohnstatt von Tugend und Schönheit; vom Sohn Nandas wird sie innig geliebt. Sie weilt im Aśoka-Hain und ist mit dem Bhāṇḍīra-Wald verbunden.

Word by Word

• शीलसौंदर्यनिलया: abode of virtue and beauty
• शीलसौंदर्यनिलया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक) + सौंदर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + निलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शील-सौंदर्ययोः निलयः/आश्रयः या—abode of conduct and beauty)

• नन्दनन्दनलालिता: cherished by Nanda’s son
• नन्दनन्दनलालिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + लालित (कृदन्त; लल्/लाल् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘लालित’; तत्पुरुष (नन्द-नन्दनेन लालिता—cherished by Nanda’s son)

• अशोकवनसंवासा: dwelling in the Aśoka grove
• अशोकवनसंवासा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक) + संवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अशोक-वने संवासः यस्याः—dwelling in the Aśoka grove)

• भाण्डीरवनसङ्गता: associated with Bhāṇḍīra forest
• भाण्डीरवनसङ्गता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाण्डीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक) + संगत (कृदन्त; गम् धातु with सम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘संगत’; तत्पुरुष (भाण्डीर-वने संगता—associated with/arrived at Bhāṇḍīra forest)

Speaker

Narada (stotra/nāma-style recitation within the Narada Purana dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Nanda
• Ashoka-vana
• Bhandira-vana
• Vraja

FAQs

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

It presents a meditative sequence of epithets that anchor devotion in both inner qualities (virtue and beauty) and sacred līlā-geography (Aśoka grove, Bhāṇḍīra forest), guiding the mind to steady bhakti through remembrance (smaraṇa) and name-recitation (nāma).

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

Bhakti is expressed through affectionate relationship and remembrance: the deity is described as lovingly cherished by Nanda’s son (Kṛṣṇa) and as present in Vraja’s holy places, encouraging devotees to contemplate divine qualities and līlā-sthānas as a practical form of worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily supports nāma-recitation as a disciplined practice; from a Vedāṅga lens, it relies on correct pronunciation and euphonic clarity (Śikṣā) and meaningful compound formation (Vyākaraṇa) in epithets like śīla-sauṃdarya-nilayā.