Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

कदाचिद्छलिला देवी पुंरूपा कृष्णविग्रहा । ससर्ज षोडशकलास्ताः सर्वास्तत्समप्रभाः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

kadācidchalilā devī puṃrūpā kṛṣṇavigrahā | sasarja ṣoḍaśakalāstāḥ sarvāstatsamaprabhāḥ || 16 ||

Translation

曾有一时，女神查利拉（Chalilā）——化现为男子之形，身色幽黑如黑天（Kṛṣṇa）——生出十六种迦罗（kalā，显现分相），皆与她同辉同耀。

Word by Word

• कदाचित्: once
• कदाचित्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb) ‘once/sometimes’

• छलिला: Chalilā
• छलिला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छलिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; proper name/epithet

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; apposition to subject

• पुंरूपा: in male form
• पुंरूपा: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (कर्तृअन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुंस्+रूपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; adjective to देवी; ‘having male form’

• कृष्णविग्रहा: dark-bodied
• कृष्णविग्रहा: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (कर्तृअन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण+विग्रहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; adjective to देवी; ‘dark-bodied/with dark form’

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘created/emitted’

• षोडशकलाः: sixteen parts
• षोडशकलाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश+कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; ‘sixteen arts/parts’ as object

• ताः: those
• ताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; pronoun referring to the created parts

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (कर्तृअन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; adjective to (implied) ‘they’

• तत्समप्रभाः: of equal radiance to her
• तत्समप्रभाः: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (कर्तृअन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्+सम+प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; adjective to the created ones; ‘having lustre equal to that (her)’

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Chalilā Devī

FAQs

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

It presents a creation motif where a single divine power manifests as “sixteen kalās,” emphasizing that multiplicity arises from one source and retains the same essential splendor.

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

By implying that all manifestations share the radiance of the divine source, it supports a bhakti दृष्टि (devotional vision) in which worship of the One is reflected through reverence toward its many expressions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse uses technical cosmological vocabulary (kalā, vigraha, prabhā) relevant to Purāṇic-śāstric exposition; it aligns with Vedāṅga-style precision in defining categories and enumerations rather than prescribing a specific ritual.