Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

राधांगलोमकूपेभ्ये बभूवुर्गोपकन्यकाः । राधातुल्याः सर्वतश्च राधादास्यः प्रियंवदाः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

rādhāṃgalomakūpebhye babhūvurgopakanyakāḥ | rādhātulyāḥ sarvataśca rādhādāsyaḥ priyaṃvadāḥ || 16 ||

Translation

രാധയുടെ ദേഹത്തിലെ രോമകൂപങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് ഗോപകന്യകൾ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു. അവർ എല്ലായ്പ്പോഴും രാധാസമം, രാധയുടെ ദാസികൾ, മധുരവാക്യങ്ങൾ പറയുന്നവർ ആയിരുന്നു॥१६॥

Word by Word

• राधा-अङ्ग-लोम-कूपेभ्यः: from the hair-pores of Rādhā’s body
• राधा-अङ्ग-लोम-कूपेभ्यः: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोमन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (कूपः पुं), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; Ablative plural ‘from the hair-pores of Rādhā’s body’

• बभूवुः: came to be/became
• बभूवुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गोपकन्यकाः: cowherd maidens
• गोपकन्यकाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; (गोपानां कन्यकाः) nominative plural

• राधातुल्याः: equal to Rādhā
• राधातुल्याः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राधा (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; predicate adjective to गोपकन्यकाः

• सर्वतः: in every way
• सर्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in every way/from all sides)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• राधादास्यः: servants of Rādhā
• राधादास्यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा (प्रातिपदिक) + दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; (राधायाः दास्यः/दास्यः = दास्यः ‘female servants’) nominative plural

• प्रियंवदाः: sweet-speaking
• प्रियंवदाः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियंवद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; (प्रियं वदन्ति इति) ‘sweet-speaking’

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Radha
• Gopika (Gopa-kanyakas)

FAQs

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

It presents Rādhā as the spiritual center of intimate devotion, with the gopīs depicted as manifestations aligned to her nature—highlighting the ideal of loving service (sevā) rooted in sweetness, humility, and proximity to the divine beloved.

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

Bhakti is shown as dāsya/sevā-bhāva: the gopīs are described as Rādhā’s attendants, implying that devotion matures into selfless service, harmonious companionship, and speech/actions that please the beloved (priyaṃvada).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No explicit Vedāṅga technical instruction appears in this verse; it functions primarily as purāṇic narrative supporting bhakti theology rather than teaching śikṣā, vyākaraṇa, chandas, nirukta, jyotiṣa, or kalpa directly.