Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमारः प्रोवाच स्मृत्वा राधापदांबुजम् । सनत्कुमार उवाच । श्रृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि राधांशानां समुद्भवम् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

sanatkumāraḥ provāca smṛtvā rādhāpadāṃbujam | sanatkumāra uvāca | śrṛṇu nārada vakṣyāmi rādhāṃśānāṃ samudbhavam || 9 ||

Translation

ਸਨਤਕੁਮਾਰ ਨੇ ਰਾਧਾ ਦੇ ਚਰਨ-ਕਮਲ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਕੇ ਆਖਿਆ— “ਹੇ ਨਾਰਦ, ਸੁਣ; ਮੈਂ ਰਾਧਾ ਦੇ ਅੰਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੀ ਉਤਪੱਤੀ ਦੱਸਾਂਗਾ।”

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumara
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—सनत्+कुमार (कर्मधारय)

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः—प्र (pra-)

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having remembered’

• राधा-पद-अम्बुजम्: Radha’s lotus-feet
• राधा-पद-अम्बुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—राधायाः पदम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + अम्बुजम् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: ‘lotus-like feet’)

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumara
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—सनत्+कुमार (कर्मधारय)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• नारद: O Narada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• राधा-अंशानाम्: of Radha’s portions/emanations
• राधा-अंशानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—राधायाः अंशाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• समुद्भवम्: the origin
• समुद्भवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘origin/manifestation’

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Radha
• Narada

FAQs

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

It establishes the teaching as sacred by beginning with remembrance of Rādhā’s lotus-feet and then announces a doctrinal topic—how Rādhā’s divine portions (aṃśas) manifest—within the guru-to-disciple dialogue.

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

Bhakti is modeled through smaraṇa (devotional remembrance): Sanatkumāra first contemplates Rādhā’s lotus-feet before speaking, implying that authentic instruction flows from reverence and inner recollection of the deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a direct Vedāṅga rule, it reflects the Purāṇic pedagogy used alongside Vedāṅga study: clear dialogue markers (“uvāca”), topic-announcement (pratijñā), and disciplined listening (“śṛṇu”) as the method of transmission.