Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 184

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

जांबवती सुशीला च दिशंत्यौ दक्षवामके । बहिः षोडश साहस्रसंख्याकाः परितः प्रियाः ॥ १८४ ॥

Transliteration

jāṃbavatī suśīlā ca diśaṃtyau dakṣavāmake | bahiḥ ṣoḍaśa sāhasrasaṃkhyākāḥ paritaḥ priyāḥ || 184 ||

Translation

Jāmbavatī et Suśīlā se tenaient à droite et à gauche ; au-delà d’elles, tout autour, se trouvaient les épouses bien-aimées, au nombre de seize mille.

Word by Word

• जाम्बवती: Jāmbavatī
• जाम्बवती: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाम्बवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• सुशीला: Suśīlā
• सुशीला: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुशीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दिशन्त्यौ: (they two) present/offer
• दिशन्त्यौ: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; स्त्रीलिङ्ग-कर्तृवाचक

• दक्ष-वामके: on the right and left (sides)
• दक्ष-वामके: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), द्विवचन; समासः—दक्षे च वामे च (on right and left)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: देशाधिकरण (Locative adverb/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; ‘sixteen’ (numeral used adjectivally)

• साहस्र-संख्याकाः: numbering in thousands
• साहस्र-संख्याकाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—साहस्रस्य संख्या (thousand-number) + क (possessing)

• परितः: all around
• परितः: देशाधिकरण (Locative adverb/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परितः = सर्वतः (adverb)

• प्रियाः: beloved ones
• प्रियाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘beloved ones’ (here: beloved women/consorts)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Jambavati
• Susila
• Krishna

FAQs

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

It highlights the Purāṇic motif of the Lord’s unlimited śakti and sovereignty—depicting divine relationships not as ordinary desire, but as the Lord’s all-pervading capacity to accept and protect devotees.

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

By portraying the Lord surrounded by beloved consorts, the verse evokes sevā-bhāva (devotional service and intimacy), encouraging devotees to remember the Lord’s līlā and cultivate loving remembrance (smaraṇa) as a form of bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No direct Vedāṅga technique is taught in this line; it functions primarily as narrative detail (Purāṇic itivṛtta) supporting devotional contemplation rather than a rule of ritual, grammar, or jyotiṣa.