Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

अथ नाम्नां सहस्रं ते वक्ष्ये सावरणार्चनम् । षोडशानामपि मुने स्वस्वक्रमगतात्मकम् ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

atha nāmnāṃ sahasraṃ te vakṣye sāvaraṇārcanam | ṣoḍaśānāmapi mune svasvakramagatātmakam || 39 ||

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ നിനക്കു സഹസ്രനാമങ്ങളും ആവരണാർചനയുടെ വിധിയും പറയും. ഹേ മുനേ, പതിനാറിന്റെയും തത്തത്ത ക്രമത്തിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്ന സ്വരൂപങ്ങളോടുകൂടി വിവരിക്കും.

Word by Word

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), discourse particle (आरम्भ/अनन्तर)

• नाम्नाम्: of names
• नाम्नाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); enclitic pronoun

• वक्ष्ये: I shall speak
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्, periphrastic future), Uttama-puruṣa (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• सावरण-अर्चनम्: worship with the (ritual) enclosures
• सावरण-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म/appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-आवरण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: सावरण (with enclosures/with āvaraṇas) + अर्चन (worship); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to सहस्रम्

• षोडशानाम्: of the sixteen
• षोडशानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral used substantively

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (समुच्चय/अपि=also/even)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• स्व-स्व-क्रम-गत-आत्मकम्: having its nature arranged in its respective order
• स्व-स्व-क्रम-गत-आत्मकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (गम्-धातु, क्त-कृदन्त) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Multi-member Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies सहस्रम्/अर्चनम्: 'having the nature of being arranged in each one’s own order'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames the practice as both devotion and disciplined method: the thousand names are not merely recited, but integrated into a structured worship (arcana) with protective/ritual “enclosures” (āvaraṇas) and a precise sequence (krama), emphasizing inner focus through outer order.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through nāma (divine names) and upāsanā (worship). The verse highlights that loving remembrance becomes more potent when performed as a complete, well-ordered practice rather than as a casual recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The key technical point is krama (proper sequence/arrangement) in ritual and mantra-usage—an applied, procedural discipline aligned with Vedāṅga-style precision in liturgical practice.