Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 199

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

Devanagari script

गोपीचूडामणिर्गोपीगणेड्या विरजाधिका । गोपप्रेष्ठा गोपकन्या गोपनारी सुगोपिका ॥ १९९ ॥

Transliteration

gopīcūḍāmaṇirgopīgaṇeḍyā virajādhikā | gopapreṣṭhā gopakanyā gopanārī sugopikā || 199 ||

Translation

She is the crest-jewel among the Gopīs, worshipped by the host of cowherd maidens, surpassing even Virajā in purity. She is most dear to the gopas—the cowherd girl, the cowherd woman—indeed, the most excellent of Gopikās.

Word by Word

• गोपीचूडामणिः: crest-jewel of the gopīs
• गोपीचूडामणिः: कर्ता/विशेष्य (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी + चूडा + मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'गोपीणां चूडामणिः' (crest-jewel among gopīs)

• गोपीगणेड्या: praised by the host of gopīs
• गोपीगणेड्या: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपी + गण + ईड्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त: ईड्य < √ईड्/√ईड् ‘to praise’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'गोपीगणेन ईड्या' (praised by the group of gopīs)

• विरजाधिका: surpassing Virajā / exceedingly pure
• विरजाधिका: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरजा + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'विरजाया अधिका' (surpassing Virajā / exceedingly pure)

• गोपप्रेष्ठा: most beloved of the gopas
• गोपप्रेष्ठा: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोप + प्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'गोपस्य/गोपानां प्रेष्ठा' (most beloved of the cowherds; esp. of Krishna as gopa)

• गोपकन्या: a cowherd maiden
• गोपकन्या: विशेष्य/अपादान (appositional noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'गोपस्य कन्या'

• गोपनारी: a cowherd woman
• गोपनारी: विशेष्य/अपादान (appositional noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप + नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'गोपानां नारी'

• सुगोपिका: an excellent gopī
• सुगोपिका: विशेष्य (appositional noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + गोपिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'सु-गोपिका' (excellent gopī)

Speaker

Narada (in a litany-style recitation within the Narada Purana’s technical/structured sections)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Gopis
• Viraja

FAQs

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

The verse elevates the ideal of single-minded devotion by praising the foremost Gopikā as the “crest-jewel,” presenting bhakti as a supreme purity that outshines even symbolic notions of stainlessness (virajā).

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

By using honorific epithets—“most dear,” “worshipped,” “excellent”—it models bhakti as affectionate intimacy and wholehearted praise (stuti/nāmānukīrtana), where loving remembrance becomes the defining spiritual practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a structured nāma-style composition (useful for memorization and recitation), aligning with Vedāṅga concerns like chandas/recitational discipline and vyākaraṇa-driven compound epithets used in devotional liturgy.