Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

आत्मानं चिंतयेद्वत्स तासां मध्ये मनोरमाम् । रूपयौवनसंपन्नां किशोरीं च स्वलंकृताम् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

ātmānaṃ ciṃtayedvatsa tāsāṃ madhye manoramām | rūpayauvanasaṃpannāṃ kiśorīṃ ca svalaṃkṛtām || 30 ||

Translation

Ô cher enfant, médite sur toi-même—au milieu d’elles—comme une jeune fille des plus ravissantes, comblée de beauté et de jeunesse, une adolescente parée d’ornements.

Word by Word

• आत्मानम्: the self (as object of contemplation)
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative, Active, 3rd person, Singular

• वत्स: O dear one/child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तासाम्: of those (women)
• तासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Feminine, Genitive (6th), Plural

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• मनोरमाम्: charming/beautiful
• मनोरमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• रूप-यौवन-संपन्नाम्: endowed with beauty and youth
• रूप-यौवन-संपन्नाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + यौवन (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √पद्/सम्+पद्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः)

• किशोरीम्: a young maiden
• किशोरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किशोरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

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

• सु-अलंकृताम्: well-adorned
• सु-अलंकृताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/निपात) + अलंकृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) with अलम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (सु + अलंकृता)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, addressing him as 'vatsa')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It teaches a specific dhyāna-method: shaping inner identity through contemplation, using a prescribed form as a support for focused upāsanā and steadiness of mind.

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

By instructing a devotional visualization, it aligns the practitioner’s inner sense of self with a worshipful mood, making the mind fit for sustained bhakti-oriented remembrance and service-attitude.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a technical upāsanā-application used in ritual and mantra practice—how to employ precise mental imagery (dhyāna-lakṣaṇa) as part of disciplined sādhana.