Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

श्रीवृन्दाविपिनप्रतोलिषु नमत्संफुल्लवल्लीततिष्वंतर्जालविघट्टैनः सुरभिणा वातेन संसेविते । कालिंदीपुलिने विहारिणमथो राधैकजीवातुकं वंदे नन्दकिशोरमिंदुवदनं स्निग्धांबुदाडंबरम् ॥ ९६ ॥

Transliteration

śrīvṛndāvipinapratoliṣu namatsaṃphullavallītatiṣvaṃtarjālavighaṭṭainaḥ surabhiṇā vātena saṃsevite | kāliṃdīpuline vihāriṇamatho rādhaikajīvātukaṃ vaṃde nandakiśoramiṃduvadanaṃ snigdhāṃbudāḍaṃbaram || 96 ||

Translation

I bow to Nandakishora, Nanda’s youthful son—moon-faced, radiant as dark rain-laden clouds—who sports upon the banks of the Kāliṇḍī, whose very life is Rādhā, and who is served by the fragrant breeze that stirs the inner bowers of fully blossoming creepers along the lanes of Vṛndā’s sacred forest.

Word by Word

• śrī-vṛndā-vipina-pratoliṣu: in the lanes of the sacred Vṛndā forest (Vṛndāvana)
• śrī-vṛndā-vipina-pratoliṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛndā (प्रातिपदिक) + vipina (प्रातिपदिक) + pratolī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (स्थानीय-निर्देश); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• namat-saṃphulla-vallī-tatiṣu: among rows of bending, fully-bloomed creepers
• namat-saṃphulla-vallī-tatiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namat (कृदन्त: नम् धातु) + saṃphulla (प्रातिपदिक) + vallī (प्रातिपदिक) + tati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• antar-jāla-vighaṭṭa-ainaḥ: (with) inner-networks being brushed aside; obstruction/impurity (enas) removed
• antar-jāla-vighaṭṭa-ainaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object; with 'saṃsevite' as qualified locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antar (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + jāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vighaṭṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + enas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• surabhiṇā: fragrant
• surabhiṇā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: surabhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• vātena: by the breeze
• vātena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• saṃsevite: in (a place) attended/caressed
• saṃsevite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ√sev (धातु: सेव् 'to serve/attend' with सम्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); 'in/at (a place) that is attended/served'

• kāliṃdī-puline: on the bank of the Yamunā (Kāliṃdī)
• kāliṃdī-puline: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāliṃdī (प्रातिपदिक) + pulina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: 'of Kāliṃdī'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vihāriṇam: the sportive one
• vihāriṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object of 'vande')
• Type: Noun
• Root: vihārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• atho: and indeed/then
• atho: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha + u (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'and then/indeed')

• rādhā-eka-jīvātukam: Rādhā’s only life-breath
• rādhā-eka-jīvātukam: Karma (कर्म/Object of 'vande')
• Type: Noun
• Root: rādhā (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + jīvātuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (राधायाः एकः जीवातुकः = 'Rādhā's sole life'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vande: I salute
• vande: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vand (धातु: वन्द् 'to praise/salute')
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• nanda-kiśoram: Nanda’s youthful son (Krishna)
• nanda-kiśoram: Karma (कर्म/Object of 'vande')
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक) + kiśora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: 'of Nanda'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• indu-vadanam: moon-faced
• indu-vadanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indu (प्रातिपदिक) + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('चन्द्र इव वदनम्'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• snigdha-aṃbuda-āḍaṃbaram: having the grandeur of dark rain-clouds
• snigdha-aṃbuda-āḍaṃbaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃbuda (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍaṃbara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय ('snigdha aṃbuda iva āḍaṃbara'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Narada (hymnic praise within the Narada Purana’s instructional dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Nandakishora)
• Radha
• Vrinda/Vrinda-devi (as Śrī Vṛndā, indicating Vṛndāvana)
• Kalindi (Yamuna)

FAQs

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

It sanctifies Vṛndāvana and Kāliṇḍī (Yamunā) as supreme supports for smaraṇa (devotional remembrance), presenting Kṛṣṇa as the worshipful Lord whose beauty and līlā awaken single-pointed bhakti.

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

Bhakti is shown as loving contemplation and reverential surrender—“vande”—where the devotee meditates on Kṛṣṇa’s form, abode, and intimate devotion (Rādhā as his very life), letting the heart be drawn into continuous remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily chandas/alaṅkāra-style poetic construction used as a devotional tool: vivid imagery (cloud-splendor, moon-face, fragrant breeze) functions as dhyāna-upakaraṇa—practical guidance for meditation rather than ritual or astrology.