Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

समकर्णांसविन्यस्तचारुकर्णोपभूषणम् । कम्बुग्रीवं सुविस्तीर्णश्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम् ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

samakarṇāṃsavinyastacārukarṇopabhūṣaṇam | kambugrīvaṃ suvistīrṇaśrīvatsāṅkitavakṣasam || 57 ||

Translation

Il est paré de beaux ornements d’oreilles, posés en parfaite symétrie le long de la ligne des oreilles et des épaules; son cou est tel une conque, et sa vaste poitrine porte le signe sacré de Śrīvatsa.

Word by Word

• समकर्णांसविन्यस्तचारुकर्णोपभूषणम्: with lovely ear-ornaments placed evenly up to the ears/shoulders
• समकर्णांसविन्यस्तचारुकर्णोपभूषणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम + कर्ण + अंस + विन्यस्त + चारु + कर्ण + उपभूषण (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास: (समकर्णांस) कर्मधारय + (विन्यस्त) क्त-कृदन्त + (चारुकर्णोपभूषण) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्णस्य उपभूषणम्)

• कम्बुग्रीवम्: with a conch-like neck
• कम्बुग्रीवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कम्बु + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कम्बुवत् ग्रीवा यस्य/यत्)

• सुविस्तीर्णश्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम्: with a broad chest marked with the Śrīvatsa sign
• सुविस्तीर्णश्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + विस्तीर्ण + श्रीवत्स + अङ्कित + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (सुविस्तीर्ण) विशेषण + (श्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षस्) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वक्षसि श्रीवत्सेन अङ्कितम्)

Speaker

Narada (describing Lord Vishnu in a Moksha-dharma context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Srivatsa

FAQs

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

It guides devotional meditation (dhyāna) by detailing auspicious bodily marks of Lord Viṣṇu—symmetry, conch-like neck, and the Śrīvatsa—so the mind becomes steady on the divine form, supporting mokṣa-oriented bhakti.

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

By presenting concrete, sacred attributes of Viṣṇu to contemplate, it promotes form-based devotion (sākāra-bhakti), where loving remembrance is strengthened through precise visualization of the Lord’s auspicious signs.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse is primarily dhyāna/arcana-oriented rather than technical Vedāṅga instruction; practically, it supports mantra-and-image based worship by providing recognizable lakṣaṇas (iconographic identifiers) used in pūjā and meditation.