Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

बलदोलाशयशयः श्यामलः सर्वसुंदरः । पद्मनाभो हृषीकेशः क्रीडामनुजबालकः ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

baladolāśayaśayaḥ śyāmalaḥ sarvasuṃdaraḥ | padmanābho hṛṣīkeśaḥ krīḍāmanujabālakaḥ || 41 ||

Translation

അവൻ ബല (ശേഷ) സർപ്പശയ്യയിൽ ശയിക്കുന്നവൻ; ശ്യാമവർണ്ണൻ, സർവ്വസുന്ദരൻ—പദ്മനാഭൻ, ഹൃഷീകേശൻ—മനുഷ്യരിടയിൽ ബാലനെന്നപോലെ ക്രീഡിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• बल-दोल-आशय-शयः: one who lay in the cradle-swing
• बल-दोल-आशय-शयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + दोल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशय (प्रातिपदिक) + शय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (बलदोलायाम् आशये शयते इति/तत्र शयः)

• श्यामलः: dark-hued
• श्यामलः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्यामल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सर्व-सुन्दरः: all-beautiful; most beautiful
• सर्व-सुन्दरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वेषु सुन्दरः/अत्यन्तसुन्दरः)

• पद्म-नाभः: lotus-naveled
• पद्म-नाभः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + नाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पद्मं नाभौ यस्य सः)

• हृषीक-ईशः: Lord of the senses
• हृषीक-ईशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हृषीकाणाम् ईशः)

• क्रीडा-मनुज-बालकः: child who plays like a human boy
• क्रीडा-मनुज-बालकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + मनुज (प्रातिपदिक) + बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (क्रीडायां मनुजवत् बालकः/मनुजबालकः)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Padmanabha
• Hrishikesha
• Shesha/Ananta (Bala-serpent couch)

FAQs

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

The verse compresses key Viṣṇu-tattva markers—His cosmic repose on Ananta (stability of dharma), His lotus-navel (source of creation), and His mastery of the senses (Hṛṣīkeśa)—inviting devotion through form-based contemplation and sacred names.

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

It models bhakti through nāma and rūpa-dhyāna: remembering Viṣṇu by epithets (Padmanābha, Hṛṣīkeśa) and visualizing His gentle, playful accessibility “like a child among men,” making reverence intimate and continuous.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Vyākaraṇa and Nirukta-style insight: the compound epithets (e.g., padma-nābha, hṛṣīka-īśa) function as technical name-meanings that guide correct understanding and dhyāna; no specific ritual-astronomy instruction is directly stated in this verse.