Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

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

Devanagari script

चलत्कनककुंडलोल्लसितचारुगंडस्थलं सुघोणधरमद्भुतस्मितमुखांवुतं सुन्दरम् । स्फुरद्विमलरत्नयुक्कनकसूत्रनद्धं दधत्सुवर्णपरिमंडितं सुभगपौंडरीकं नखम् ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

calatkanakakuṃḍalollasitacārugaṃḍasthalaṃ sughoṇadharamadbhutasmitamukhāṃvutaṃ sundaram | sphuradvimalaratnayukkanakasūtranaddhaṃ dadhatsuvarṇaparimaṃḍitaṃ subhagapauṃḍarīkaṃ nakham || 77 ||

Translation

Ses belles joues resplendissaient, éclairées par des boucles d’oreilles d’or qui se balançaient; son nez était harmonieusement formé, et son visage charmant était couvert d’un sourire merveilleux. Sur son ongle de bon augure, semblable au lotus, brillait un fil d’or serti de gemmes immaculées, et tout autour il était orné d’or.

Word by Word

• चलत्: moving, swaying
• चलत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies following compound as a whole

• कनक-कुण्डल-उल्लसित-चारु-गण्डस्थलम्: (having) beautiful cheek-area brightened by swaying golden earrings
• कनक-कुण्डल-उल्लसित-चारु-गण्डस्थलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनक (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + उल्लसित (लस् धातु, क्त) + चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + गण्डस्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; describes ‘नखम्’ as having/being associated with beautiful cheek-area lit by golden earrings (poetic description)

• सु-घोण-धरम्: with a fine nose
• सु-घोण-धरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + घोण (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (धृ धातु से, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘सु’ = उपसर्गवत् उपपद; “good-nosed/with a fine nose”

• अद्भुत-स्मित-मुख-आवृतम्: with a face suffused/covered by a wondrous smile
• अद्भुत-स्मित-मुख-आवृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मित (स्मि धातु, क्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (वृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘आवृत’; “face covered/filled with wondrous smile”

• सुन्दरम्: beautiful
• सुन्दरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies ‘नखम्’ (as object described)

• स्फुरत्: sparkling
• स्फुरत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; modifies following compound

• विमल-रत्न-युक्त-कनक-सूत्र-नद्धम्: tied with a golden thread set with pure gems
• विमल-रत्न-युक्त-कनक-सूत्र-नद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (युज् धातु, क्त) + कनक (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + नद्ध (नह्/नध् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; kta ‘नद्ध’; “bound with a golden thread joined with pure gems”

• दधत्: bearing, wearing
• दधत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; “bearing/wearing”

• सुवर्ण-परिमण्डितम्: adorned with gold
• सुवर्ण-परिमण्डितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + परिमण्डित (मण्ड् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; “adorned with gold”

• सुभग-पौण्डरीकम्: lovely, lotus-like
• सुभग-पौण्डरीकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभग (प्रातिपदिक) + पौण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; “lovely lotus-like (white-lotus)”

• नखम्: (his) nail (toe/finger nail)
• नखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching to Nārada in descriptive narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

FAQs

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

The verse uses auspicious bodily imagery—gold, jewels, lotus-like features, and a serene smile—to convey śrī (sacred splendor) and purity, supporting contemplative visualization used in dharmic and ritual contexts.

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

By focusing the mind on an attractive, auspicious, and serene divine-like form, the verse functions as a dhyāna-aṅga (aid to meditation), which stabilizes devotion through remembrance and reverent visualization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects lakṣaṇa-style description and disciplined imagery used alongside mantra and ritual visualization—supporting accurate recitation and contemplation (closely aligned with śikṣā/phonetics and kalpa/ritual application in practice).