Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

श्रीवत्सवक्षसं भ्राजत्कौस्तुभामुक्तकन्धरम् । हारकेयूरवलयांगदं पीतांबरं स्मरेत् ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

śrīvatsavakṣasaṃ bhrājatkaustubhāmuktakandharam | hārakeyūravalayāṃgadaṃ pītāṃbaraṃ smaret || 33 ||

Translation

വക്ഷസ്ഥലത്തിൽ ശ്രീവത്സചിഹ്നമുള്ളവനും, കണ്ഠത്തിൽ ദീപ്തമായ കൗസ്തുഭമണിയാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ടവനും, ഹാരം-കേയൂരം-വളയം-അംഗദം മുതലായ ആഭരണങ്ങളാൽ ഭൂഷിതനുമായ, പീതാംബരം ധരിച്ച ഹരിയെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• śrīvatsa: Śrīvatsa mark
• śrīvatsa: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīvatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• vakṣasam: (one) whose chest bears Śrīvatsa
• vakṣasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: śrīvatsa-vakṣas ‘having Śrīvatsa on the chest’ (as descriptor)

• bhrājat: shining
• bhrājat: Viseṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhrājat (कृदन्त; √bhrāj (भ्राज्) + शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• kaustubha: Kaustubha jewel
• kaustubha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaustubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• āmukta: worn, fastened on
• āmukta: Viseṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āmukta (कृदन्त; ā-√muc (मुच्) + क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• kandharam: neck (adorned)
• kandharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kandhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: bhrājat-kaustubha-āmukta-kandhara ‘whose neck is adorned with the shining Kaustubha’

• hāra: necklace
• hāra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• keyūra: armlet
• keyūra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keyūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• valaya: bracelet
• valaya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: valaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), stem-form in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• aṅgada: ornaments (incl. necklace, armlets, bracelets)
• aṅgada: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); dvandva (samāhāra): hāra-keyūra-valaya-aṅgada ‘necklace, armlets, bracelets, and ornaments’

• pīta: yellow
• pīta: Viseṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta (कृदन्त; √pā (पा) + क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; stem-form in compound

• ambara: garment
• ambara: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: pīta-ambara ‘yellow garment’

• smaret: should remember/meditate on
• smaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical/ritual teaching sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Sri (as implied by Śrīvatsa/Śrī association)

FAQs

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

It prescribes a concrete dhyāna-form of Viṣṇu—marked by Śrīvatsa and Kaustubha—so the mind can be steadied on a sacred iconography, turning remembrance (smaraṇa) into focused devotion.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as smaraṇa/dhyāna: repeatedly contemplating the Lord’s auspicious marks and ornaments, which trains attention, reverence, and continuous inner worship even outside external ritual.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It supports ritual-technical practice by giving dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditation markers) used alongside mantra and pūjā—helping correct visualization and mental placement during worship procedures.