Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

प्रदीपित स्मरैर्गोष्ठसुंदरीमृदुवाससाम् । विलोलनपरैः संसेवितं वा तैर्निरंतरम् ॥ ४५ ॥

Transliteration

pradīpita smarairgoṣṭhasuṃdarīmṛduvāsasām | vilolanaparaiḥ saṃsevitaṃ vā tairniraṃtaram || 45 ||

Translation

ਜਾਂ ਫਿਰ ਕਾਮ-ਰਸ ਨਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੀਪਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ, ਉਹ ਗੋਸ਼ਠ ਦੀਆਂ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਗੋਪੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ—ਨਰਮ ਵਸਤ੍ਰ ਪਹਿਨੀਆਂ, ਖੇਡ-ਵਿਲਾਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਤ—ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਸੰਗ ਕਰਦੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• pradīpita: kindled/enkindled
• pradīpita: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-dīp (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘inflamed/kindled’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (कर्मणि)

• smaraiḥ: by passions of love
• smaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; ‘by/with love-desires (smaras)’

• goṣṭha-sundarī-mṛdu-vāsasām: of the cowherd maidens in soft garments
• goṣṭha-sundarī-mṛdu-vāsasām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: goṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + sundarī (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛdu (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपदतत्पुरुषसमासः: ‘गोष्ठसुन्दर्यः’ (cowherd maidens) + ‘मृदुवाससः’ (soft garments) → ‘गोष्ठसुन्दरीमृदुवाससाम्’ = ‘of the cowherd maidens with soft garments’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समूहवाचक, षष्ठी बहुवचन

• vilolana-paraiḥ: by those intent on dalliance/caressing
• vilolana-paraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-lol (धातु/प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः: ‘विलोलन’ (caressing/enticing; here as noun/adjective stem) + ‘पर’ (devoted/intent on); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन

• saṃsevitam: frequented/attended
• saṃsevitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-sev (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) ‘frequented/served’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक निपात; particle ‘or/indeed’

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; ‘by them’

• niraṃtaram: continuously
• niraṃtaram: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: niraṃtara (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण; adverb ‘continuously/without break’

Speaker

Narada (in instructional narration, consistent with Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Smara (Kama)

FAQs

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

It highlights how desire (smara/kāma), once inflamed, drives continuous indulgence, which becomes an obstacle to restraint, study, and spiritual steadiness.

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

By implication, it teaches that sustained bhakti requires guarding the mind from constant sensual preoccupation, since uninterrupted indulgence disperses attention away from remembrance of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical takeaway is disciplinary ethics that support Vedanga pursuits (e.g., śikṣā, vyākaraṇa, kalpa): sense-restraint and regulated conduct are prerequisites for effective learning, recitation, and ritual precision.