Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

अरुणामरुणाकल्पामरुणांशुकधारिणीम् । अरुणस्रग्विलेपां तां चारुस्मेरमुखांबुजाम् ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

aruṇāmaruṇākalpāmaruṇāṃśukadhāriṇīm | aruṇasragvilepāṃ tāṃ cārusmeramukhāṃbujām || 84 ||

Translation

ഞാൻ അരുണാ ദേവിയെ ധ്യാനിക്കുന്നു—അവൾ സ്വയം അരുണവർണ്ണയാ, അരുണാഭരണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കൃതയാ, അരുണവസ്ത്രധാരിണിയാ, അരുണമാലയും അരുണലേപവും ധരിച്ചവളാ; മനോഹരമായ മൃദുഹാസത്തോടെ ദീപ്തമായ താമരമുഖം ഉള്ളവളാ.

Word by Word

• अरुणा-अमरुणा-कल्पा-अरुण-अंशुक-धारिणीम्: her who is reddish, of non-reddish? (contrastive epithet), of reddish appearance, wearing a red garment
• अरुणा-अमरुणा-कल्पा-अरुण-अंशुक-धारिणीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अमरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्पा (प्रातिपदिक) + अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अंशुक (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः—'aruṇā' etc as qualifiers; refers to a देवी (goddess)

• अरुण-स्रक्-विलेपाम्: anointed and garlanded with red (garland)
• अरुण-स्रक्-विलेपाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्रक् (प्रातिपदिक) + विलेपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'aruṇa-srak' (red garland) + 'vilepā' (anointed/smeared)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• चारु-स्मेर-मुख-अम्बुजाम्: with a beautifully smiling lotus-like face
• चारु-स्मेर-मुख-अम्बुजाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मेर (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'mukhāmbuja' (lotus-face) qualified by 'cāru-smera' (beautifully smiling)

Speaker

Narada (in a descriptive/dhyana instruction context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Arunā Devī

FAQs

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

It provides a precise dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (visualization template) for worship: concentrating the mind on a single, auspicious divine form—here, Arunā in a unified crimson symbolism—so the sādhaka’s attention becomes steady and sattvic.

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

Bhakti is expressed through loving, detailed remembrance (smaraṇa) and inner seeing (dhyāna) of the deity’s qualities—gentle smile, lotus-face, and auspicious radiance—turning emotion and attention into continuous worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the applied discipline of mantra-upāsanā: using dhyāna descriptions as an aid to correct mental visualization during japa and ritual, a practical technique aligned with Vedic liturgical method (prayoga) and recitation discipline.