Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Exposition of the Table of Contents of the Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa

Devanagari script

गोकुले गमनं गश्चात्पूतनादिवदाद्भूताः । बाल्यकौमारजा लीला विविधास्तत्र वर्णिताः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

gokule gamanaṃ gaścātpūtanādivadādbhūtāḥ | bālyakaumārajā līlā vividhāstatra varṇitāḥ || 16 ||

Translation

There the journey to Gokula is described, and thereafter the wondrous events beginning with Pūtanā and others. The many diverse divine līlās of childhood and boyhood are also narrated.

Word by Word

• गोकुले: in Gokula
• गोकुले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (स्थानवाचक), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• गमनम्: the going
• गमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गमन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-क्तिन्/ल्युट्-निर्मित संज्ञा (action noun: going)

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

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: afterwards)

• पूतना-आदि-वधात्: from the slaying of Pūtanā and others
• पूतना-आदि-वधात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; समासः—पूतनादीनां वधः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), तस्मात् (पञ्चमी)

• अद्भुताः: marvelous (events)
• अद्भुताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• बाल्य-कौमार-जाः: arising in childhood and boyhood
• बाल्य-कौमार-जाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कौमार (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बाल्ये कौमारे च जाताः/सम्बद्धाः)

• लीलाः: divine plays
• लीलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विविधाः: various
• विविधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (लीलाः इति विशेषणम्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: there)

• वर्णिताः: are described
• वर्णिताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ण् (धातु) → वर्णित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (लीलाः इत्यन्वयः)

Speaker

Narada (summarizing the narrative contents in an anukramaṇikā-style passage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gokula
• Putana
• Krishna

FAQs

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

It functions as a content-marker: Krishna’s move to Gokula and the miraculous protections (starting with Pūtanā) are highlighted to inspire śraddhā and bhakti by remembering the Lord’s līlā as both compassionate and protective.

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

By foregrounding remembrance (smaraṇa) of Krishna’s childhood līlās—Gokula, Pūtanā, and other wonders—the verse points to narrative devotion: hearing and recounting these acts becomes a direct support for loving devotion to Vishnu/Krishna.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this line; it is an anukramaṇikā-style summary used for textual navigation and structured recitation (pāṭha) of Purāṇic narratives.