Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 161

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

Devanagari script

श्रीशेषदेवजननी अवतारगणप्रसूः । उत्पलांकारविंदांका प्रसादांका द्वितीयका ॥ १६१ ॥

Transliteration

śrīśeṣadevajananī avatāragaṇaprasūḥ | utpalāṃkāraviṃdāṃkā prasādāṃkā dvitīyakā || 161 ||

Translation

Elle est Śrī, mère de Śeṣa et source divine d’où surgissent des multitudes d’avatāra; on la nomme aussi Utpalāṅkā, Aravindāṅkā et Prasādāṅkā : la seconde dans cette énumération.

Word by Word

• श्रीशेषदेवजननी: mother of Śrī-Śeṣadeva
• श्रीशेषदेवजननी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + शेषदेव + जननी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रीशेषदेवस्य जननी)

• अवतारगणप्रसूः: mother of the host of incarnations
• अवतारगणप्रसूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार + गण + प्रसू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अवतारगणस्य प्रसूः)

• उत्पल-अंकार-विंद-अंका: marked with lotus and water-lily signs
• उत्पल-अंकार-विंद-अंका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्पल + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + अरविन्द + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (उत्पलाङ्का च अरविन्दाङ्का च)

• प्रसाद-अंका: bearing the mark of grace/favor
• प्रसाद-अंका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसाद + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रसादेन/प्रसादस्य अङ्का)

• द्वितीयका: the second (one)
• द्वितीयका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (within a didactic enumeration in dialogue with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shri (Lakshmi)
• Shesha (Ananta)

FAQs

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

The verse glorifies Śrī (Lakṣmī) as the embodiment of auspiciousness and grace, presenting her lotus-associated epithets and placing her formally within a structured doctrinal list.

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

By emphasizing Śrī’s identity as ‘prasāda’ (grace) and lotus-emblemed purity, it implies that bhakti matures through divine favor—approached with reverence to Śrī alongside Viṣṇu-centered devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the Vedāṅga-style method of precise naming and classification—using epithets (saṃjñā) and ordered enumeration (dvitīyakā) to preserve technical clarity in recitation and transmission.