Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 173

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

Devanagari script

गंधर्वा सुरतज्ञा च गोविंदप्राणसंगमा । कृष्णांगभूषणा रत्नभूषणा स्वर्णभूषिता ॥ १७३ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃdharvā suratajñā ca goviṃdaprāṇasaṃgamā | kṛṣṇāṃgabhūṣaṇā ratnabhūṣaṇā svarṇabhūṣitā || 173 ||

Translation

Sie ist eine Gandharvī, kundig in den Künsten der Liebe; ihr Lebenshauch ist mit Govinda vereint. Sie schmückt die Glieder Kṛṣṇas, ist mit Edelsteinen geziert und mit Gold verherrlicht.

Word by Word

• गन्धर्वा: Gandharvā (a name/epithet)
• गन्धर्वा: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम/विशेषणरूपेण

• सुरत-ज्ञा: knower of amorous union
• सुरत-ज्ञा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरत (प्रातिपदिक) + √ज्ञा (धातु) + क (कृत्: ज्ञ) + आ (स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सुरतं जानाति’ (knower of love/union)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• गोविन्द-प्राण-सङ्गमा: united with Govinda’s very life-breath
• गोविन्द-प्राण-सङ्गमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘गोविन्दस्य प्राणानां सङ्गमः’/‘गोविन्दप्राणैः सङ्गमः’ इति भावः (intimate union with Govinda’s life-breath)

• कृष्ण-अङ्ग-भूषणा: ornament of Krishna’s limbs
• कृष्ण-अङ्ग-भूषणा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कृष्णस्य अङ्गानां भूषणा’

• रत्न-भूषणा: adorned with jewels
• रत्न-भूषणा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘रत्नैः भूषणा’/‘रत्नभूषणयुक्ता’

• स्वर्ण-भूषिता: adorned with gold
• स्वर्ण-भूषिता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + √भूष् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘भूषिता’ = ‘अलङ्कृता’; ‘स्वर्णेन’ इति तृतीया-सम्बन्धः

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Krishna

FAQs

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

It presents devotion through vivid sacred aesthetics—depicting intimate, life-centered union with Govinda and service expressed as adorning Krishna, a poetic way of emphasizing single-pointed attachment (bhakti) to the Lord.

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

Bhakti is shown as loving closeness to Govinda—where one’s very prāṇa is ‘in union’ with Him—and as personal service (upacāra) symbolized by beautifying and honoring Krishna with ornaments.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a direct Vedanga rule, it reflects the puranic use of refined language and aesthetic culture (gandharva-related arts) to communicate dharmic devotion—useful for understanding how sacred literature employs poetic description as a teaching method.