Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

The Recitation of the Thousand Names of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa (Yugala-Sahasranāma) and Śaraṇāgati-Dharma

Devanagari script

गोपालमंडलीमध्यः सर्वगोपालभूषणः । कृतहस्ततलग्रासो व्यंजनाश्रितशाखिकः ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

gopālamaṃḍalīmadhyaḥ sarvagopālabhūṣaṇaḥ | kṛtahastatalagrāso vyaṃjanāśritaśākhikaḥ || 57 ||

Translation

அவர் கோபாலர் வட்டத்தின் நடுவில் நிற்பவர், எல்லா கோபாலர்களுக்கும் அணியாக விளங்குபவர்; கைய்தளத்தில் அன்னத்தை எடுத்துண்டு, பக்கவியஞ்ஞனங்களுடன் மரநிழலில் தங்குபவர்.

Word by Word

• गोपाल-मण्डली-मध्यः: in the midst of the cowherd group
• गोपाल-मण्डली-मध्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डली (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः—गोपालमण्डल्याः मध्ये स्थितः

• सर्व-गोपाल-भूषणः: ornament (pride) of all cowherds
• सर्व-गोपाल-भूषणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—सर्वेषां गोपालानां भूषणः

• कृत-हस्त-तल-ग्रासः: with a morsel placed on his palm
• कृत-हस्त-तल-ग्रासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (कृञ्) + क्त) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—हस्ततले कृतः ग्रासः यस्य (हस्ततलस्थ-ग्रासधारी)

• व्यञ्जन-आश्रित-शाखिकः: holding a stick/branch along with side-dishes
• व्यञ्जन-आश्रित-शाखिकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रित (कृदन्त; आ+√श्रि (श्रिञ्) + क्त) + शाखिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—व्यञ्जनम् आश्रितः (व्यञ्जनसहितः) शाखिकः (शाखा/दण्डधारी)

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gopala (Krishna/Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It presents Gopāla’s simple, intimate līlā—moving among devotees, eating plainly, and resting under a tree—teaching that the Supreme is approachable and sweetness (mādhurya) is a valid focus for devotion and meditation.

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

Bhakti is shown as loving closeness: the Lord is “among” the gopālas, sharing ordinary acts like eating and resting, encouraging devotees to remember and serve him with familiarity, affection, and constant remembrance (smaraṇa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily dhyāna-prayoga (practical meditation application): the verse supplies concrete visualization cues (company, posture, eating, shade) used in mantra-japa and devotional contemplation rather than a technical rule of Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.