Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

कल्पवृक्षं समाश्रित्य तिष्ठंतं राधिकायुतम् । पठेन्नामसहस्रं तु युगलाख्यं महामुने ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

kalpavṛkṣaṃ samāśritya tiṣṭhaṃtaṃ rādhikāyutam | paṭhennāmasahasraṃ tu yugalākhyaṃ mahāmune || 36 ||

Translation

కల్పవృక్షాన్ని ఆశ్రయించి, రాధికతో కూడి అక్కడ నిలిచిన ప్రభువును ధ్యానిస్తూ—ఓ మహామునీ—‘యుగల’ అనే నామసహస్రాన్ని పఠించుము.

Word by Word

• कल्पवृक्षम्: the wish-fulfilling tree
• कल्पवृक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पवृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘कल्पानां वृक्षः’/‘कल्पवृक्षः’

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to
• समाश्रित्य: Kriya (क्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having taken refuge (in)’

• तिष्ठन्तम्: standing
• तिष्ठन्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• राधिकायुतम्: accompanied by Rādhikā
• राधिकायुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राधिका (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘राधिकया युतम्’ (accompanied by Rādhikā)

• पठेत्: should recite
• पठेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नामसहस्रम्: the thousand names
• नामसहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नाम्नां सहस्रम्’

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय; particle

• युगलाख्यम्: called ‘Yugala’
• युगलाख्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युगल (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘युगलम् आख्या यस्य तत्’ (named ‘Yugala’)

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Radhika
• Yugala (Divine Couple)
• Kalpavriksha

FAQs

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

It prescribes a focused bhakti practice: taking shelter (samāśraya) and reciting a nāma-sahasra while holding a clear dhyāna of the Divine Couple, indicating that name-recitation is most fruitful when joined with devotional meditation.

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

Bhakti is shown as personal and relational—worship is directed to the Lord together with Rādhikā (rādhikāyuta), and the sādhana is nāma-sahasra recitation supported by sacred symbolism (kalpavṛkṣa) and steady contemplation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical takeaway is correct stotra/recitation discipline (chandas-style careful reading and repetition) and dhyāna-vidhi (meditative procedure) used alongside devotional hymnology, aligning with the text’s technical orientation in this pada.