Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 181

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

Devanagari script

कारुण्यजलमध्यस्था नित्यमत्ताधिरोहिणी । अष्टभाषवती चाष्टनायिका लक्षणान्विता ॥ १८१ ॥

Transliteration

kāruṇyajalamadhyasthā nityamattādhirohiṇī | aṣṭabhāṣavatī cāṣṭanāyikā lakṣaṇānvitā || 181 ||

Translation

Sie weilt inmitten der Wasser des Erbarmens; und immer besteigt sie den berauschten Elefanten des inspirierten Ausdrucks. Mit acht Arten der Rede begabt, trägt sie auch die Kennzeichen der acht Nāyikā‑Gestalten, voll der bestimmenden Merkmale.

Word by Word

• कारुण्यजलमध्यस्था: standing in the midst of the water of compassion
• कारुण्यजलमध्यस्था: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारुण्य + जल + मध्य + स्था (प्रातिपदिक; स्था-आधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मध्य-स्था = ‘standing in the midst’)

• नित्यमत्ताधिरोहिणी: ever mounting (in) ecstatic intoxication
• नित्यमत्ताधिरोहिणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य + मत्त + अधिरोहिणी (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारः)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः; अधिरोहिणी = ‘one who mounts/ascends’ (fem. agent-noun)

• अष्टभाषवती: possessing eight modes of speech/languages
• अष्टभाषवती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + भाषा + वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्ट-भाषा) + वती-प्रत्यय (possessing)

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

• अष्टनायिका: the (one who is) the eightfold heroine-type
• अष्टनायिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + नायिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्ट-नायिका)

• लक्षणान्विता: endowed with (auspicious) marks/characteristics
• लक्षणान्विता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षण + अन्विता (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारः)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः; अन्विता = ‘endowed with’ (past participle used adjectivally)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/vedanga-style enumeration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It frames refined speech/poetic expression as rooted in compassion and governed by recognizable shastric “lakṣaṇas,” implying that sacred communication should be both ethically grounded (kāruṇya) and technically disciplined.

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

By placing compassion at the center of expression, it aligns devotional communication—praise, prayer, and teaching—with a heart softened by mercy, suggesting bhakti is strengthened when speech is compassionate and well-formed.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A lakṣaṇa-based, technical classification approach typical of śāstra—cataloging “eight modes of speech” and the “aṣṭa-nāyikā” types—reflecting the Narada Purana’s Book 1.3 emphasis on structured, analytical knowledge akin to Vedanga-style enumeration.