Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

कालियार्तिकरः क्रूरो नागपत्नीडितो विराट् । धेनुकारिः प्रलंबारिर्वृषासुरविमर्दनः ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

kāliyārtikaraḥ krūro nāgapatnīḍito virāṭ | dhenukāriḥ pralaṃbārirvṛṣāsuravimardanaḥ || 64 ||

Translation

കാളിയയെ പീഡിപ്പിച്ച ഉഗ്രൻ; നാഗപത്നിമാർ സ്തുതിക്കുന്ന വിരാട് പ്രഭു; ധേനുകാസുരനെ സംഹരിച്ചവൻ; പ്രലമ്പന്റെ ശത്രു; വൃഷാസുരനെ മർദിക്കുന്നവൻ.

Word by Word

• कालिय-आर्ति-करः: causer of distress to Kāliya
• कालिय-आर्ति-करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालिय (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कालियस्य आर्तिं करोति)

• क्रूरः: fierce
• क्रूरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाग-पत्नी-ईडितः: praised by the serpent’s wives
• नाग-पत्नी-ईडितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक) + ईडित (कृदन्त; √ईड्/ईळ् स्तुतौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुष (नागपत्न्या/नागपत्नीभिः ईडितः)

• विराट्: the cosmic/majestic one (Virāṭ)
• विराट्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराज्/विराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक (विराट्)

• धेनुक-अरिः: enemy of Dhenuka
• धेनुक-अरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनुक (प्रातिपदिक) + अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (धेनुकस्य अरिः)

• प्रलम्ब-अरिः: enemy of Pralamba
• प्रलम्ब-अरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रलम्बस्य अरिः)

• वृषासुर-विमर्दनः: crusher of Vṛṣāsura
• वृषासुर-विमर्दनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृषासुर (प्रातिपदिक) + विमर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वृषासुरस्य विमर्दनः)

Speaker

Narada (in a recitational listing of divine epithets, taught within the Narada Purana’s instructional flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kāliya
• Nāgapatnīs (wives of the serpent)
• Dhenuka
• Pralamba
• Vṛṣāsura

FAQs

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

It compresses multiple līlās into sacred epithets, teaching that remembrance of the Lord’s deeds—protecting devotees and removing evil—purifies the mind and strengthens śraddhā through nāma-smaraṇa.

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

Bhakti is practiced here as stuti and nāma-japa: the devotee contemplates Kṛṣṇa as Virāṭ (all-pervading) and as the remover of fear (slayer of demons), turning narrative memory into continuous worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse functions as a structured nāmāvalī segment useful for chandas-aware recitation (śikṣā/phonetics and rhythm) and for devotional application of names (vyākaraṇa-informed meaning of compounds like nāgapatnī-īḍita).