Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 172

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

Devanagari script

सारंगा शारदा बोधा सद्वृंदावनचारिणी । ब्रह्मानन्दा चिदानन्दा ध्यानान्दार्द्धमात्रिका ॥ १७२ ॥

Transliteration

sāraṃgā śāradā bodhā sadvṛṃdāvanacāriṇī | brahmānandā cidānandā dhyānāndārddhamātrikā || 172 ||

Translation

She is Sāraṅgā; she is Śāradā; she is Bodhā—Awakening. She moves in the true Vṛndāvana. She is Brahmānanda and Cidānanda—the bliss of Brahman and the bliss of pure Consciousness; she is the joy born of meditation, whose measure is but half a mātrā.

Word by Word

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

• शारदा: Śāradā
• शारदा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण/नाम (Śāradā)

• बोधा: (embodiment of) knowledge/awakening
• बोधा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बोधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम/भाववाचक

• सत्-वृन्दावन-चारिणी: one who moves/dwells in holy Vṛndāvana
• सत्-वृन्दावन-चारिणी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + वृन्दावन (प्रातिपदिक) + √चर् (धातु) + णिन् (कृत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; णिन्-कृदन्त ‘चारिणी’ = ‘चरति’ (one who moves/dwells); तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘सत्’ (श्रेष्ठ/साधु) + ‘वृन्दावन’ (place)

• ब्रह्म-आनन्दा: Brahman-bliss
• ब्रह्म-आनन्दा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘ब्रह्मरूपः आनन्दः’/‘ब्रह्मसम्बन्धी आनन्दा’

• चित्-आनन्दा: consciousness-bliss
• चित्-आनन्दा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘चिद्रूपः आनन्दः’

• ध्यान-आनन्द-अर्ध-मात्रिका: having (only) a half-measure of meditative bliss (as an epithet)
• ध्यान-आनन्द-अर्ध-मात्रिका: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘ध्यानजन्य-आनन्दस्य अर्धमात्रा’ इव/‘अर्धमात्रिका’ (having half-measure)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with Sanatkumara tradition; verse presents a litany of divine epithets)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sharada
• Vrindavana
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It praises the Divine Power as wisdom (Śāradā) and awakening (Bodhā), identifying Her with Brahman-bliss and consciousness-bliss, and pointing to subtle meditative absorption (dhyāna-ānanda) as the core spiritual experience.

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

By naming the Divine as the indweller of the ‘true Vṛndāvana,’ it frames devotion as inward residence with the Lord’s sacred realm—where bhakti matures into steady contemplation and bliss.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The reference to mātrā (a unit of phonetic measure) aligns with Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics): correct mātrā-based articulation and mantra-recitation supports dhyāna, leading toward the subtle experience of meditative bliss.