Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

माधवो मानहारी च श्रीपतिर्भूधरः प्रभुः । बृहद्वनमहालीलो नंदसूनुर्महासनः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

mādhavo mānahārī ca śrīpatirbhūdharaḥ prabhuḥ | bṛhadvanamahālīlo naṃdasūnurmahāsanaḥ || 44 ||

Translation

അവൻ മാധവൻ, മാനം (അഹങ്കാരം) ഹരിക്കുന്നവൻ; ശ്രീപതി, ഭൂധരൻ, പ്രഭു. ബൃഹദ്വനത്തിലെ മഹാലീല പ്രസിദ്ധനായ നന്ദസൂനു, മഹാസനത്തിൽ വിരാജിക്കുന്നവൻ.

Word by Word

• माधवः: Mādhava
• माधवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मान-हारी: remover of pride (or honor)
• मान-हारी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक) + हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मानं हरति इति)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः (conjunction)

• श्री-पतिः: lord of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्री-पतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्रियाḥ पतिः)

• भू-धरः: supporter of the earth
• भू-धरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः (भूं धरति इति)

• प्रभुः: Lord; master
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बृहद्-वन-महा-लीलः: he whose great sport was in the great forest
• बृहद्-वन-महा-लीलः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद् (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (बृहद्वने महती लीलाऽस्य/यस्य सः)

• नन्द-सूनुः: son of Nanda
• नन्द-सूनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नन्दस्य सूनुः)

• महा-आसनः: he of a great seat/throne
• महा-आसनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महदासनं यस्य सः)

Speaker

Narada (in a didactic recitation of Vishnu epithets within the Purva Bhaga’s technical/structured teaching style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Lakshmi
• Nanda

FAQs

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

The verse compresses core Vishnu-Bhakti theology into names: Vishnu/Krishna is the supreme sustainer (Bhūdhara, Prabhu), the bestower of auspiciousness (Śrīpati), and the purifier of inner faults like ego (Mānahārī), making name-recitation a direct means of inner refinement.

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

By presenting the Lord through intimate and majestic identifiers—‘son of Nanda’ (personal closeness) and ‘Supreme Master’ (transcendent majesty)—it teaches Bhakti as remembrance (smaraṇa) and chanting (japa) that connects the devotee to both Krishna’s līlā and Vishnu’s cosmic sovereignty.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical takeaway is disciplined mantra-style recitation: precise pronunciation and segmentation of compound epithets (relevant to Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa) supports effective nāma-japa and stotra chanting as taught in Purāṇic practice.