अथ वा ते प्रवक्ष्यामि परं हेत्वन्तरं शृणु
Now then, I shall tell you another supreme reason; listen.
राधाषोडशनाम्नां च वृन्दानाम श्रुतौ श्रुतम्
In the scriptures, the names of the sixteen Rādhās and the Vṛndās are heard.
गोलोके प्रीतये तस्याः कृष्णेन निर्मितं पुरा
Long ago, for her delight, Krishna created them in Goloka.
नारद उवाच तानि मे वद शिष्याय श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम
Nārada said: Tell me about them, for I am your disciple and eager to hear.
श्रुतं नाम्नां सहस्रं च सामवेदे निरूपितम्
A thousand names have been heard and established in the Sāma Veda.
अभ्यंतराणि तेषां वा तदन्यान्येव मे विभो
O Lord, are those their inner names, or are there others as well?
नामानि तेषां व्युत्पत्तिं सर्वेषां दुर्लभानि च
The origins of those names, and all of them, are difficult to obtain.
श्रीनारायण उवाच कृष्णप्राणाधिका कृष्णप्रिया कृष्णस्वरूपिणी ।। 4.17.
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: She is dearer to Krishna than life, beloved of Krishna, and of Krishna’s very form.
कृष्णवामांगसंभूता परमानन्दरूपिणी
She arose from Krishna’s left side, embodying supreme bliss.
चन्द्रावती चन्द्रकान्ता शतचन्द्रनिभानना
She is Candrāvatī, Candrakāntā, her face shining like a hundred moons.
राधेत्येवं च संसिद्धा राकारो दानवाचकः
She is perfected as Rādhā; the syllable 'rā' denotes giving.
रासेश्वरस्य पत्नीयं तेन रासेश्वरी स्मृता
She is the wife of the Lord of the Rāsa, and thus is called Rāseśvarī.
सर्वासां रसिकानां च देवीनामीश्वरी परा
She is the supreme goddess, the sovereign of all goddesses and connoisseurs of rasa.
प्राणाधिका प्रेयसी सा कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः
She is the beloved, dearer than life, of Krishna, the Supreme Soul.
कृष्णस्यातिप्रिया कान्ता कृष्णो वाऽस्याः प्रियः सदा
She is Krishna’s most beloved consort, and Krishna is always her beloved.
कृष्णरूपं सन्निधातुं या शक्ता चावलीलया
She is able to manifest Krishna’s form by her playful power.
वामाङ्गार्धेन कृष्णस्य या संभूता परा सती
She, the supreme and virtuous one, was born from Krishna’s left half.
परमानन्दराशिश्च स्वयं मूर्तिमती सती 4.17.
She is herself the embodiment of the ocean of supreme bliss.
कृषिर्मोक्षार्थवचनो न एवोत्कृष्टवाचकः
The word 'kṛṣir' is spoken with the meaning of liberation, but it does not directly denote the highest.
अस्ति वृन्दावनं यस्यास्तेन वृन्दावनी स्मृता
That which possesses Vṛndāvana is therefore called Vṛndāvanī.
संघः सखीनां वृन्दः स्यादकारोऽप्यस्तिवाचकः
A group of friends is called a 'vṛnda', and the letter 'a' also serves as an indicator.
वृन्दावने विनोदश्च सोऽस्या ह्यस्ति च तत्र वै
In Vṛndāvana there is delight, and this indeed belongs to her there.
नखचन्द्रावलीवक्रचन्द्रोऽस्ति यत्र संततम्
Where there is always the crescent of the nails and the curved moon.
चन्द्रतुल्या कान्तिरस्ति सदा यस्या दिवानिशम्
She whose radiance is always like the moon, day and night.
शरच्चन्द्रप्रभा यस्याश्चाननेऽस्ति दिवानिशम्
She whose face always possesses the luster of the autumn moon, day and night.
इदं षोडशनामोक्तमर्थव्याख्यानसंयुतम्
Thus the sixteen names have been spoken, together with their explanations of meaning.
ब्रह्मणा च पुरा दत्तं धर्माय जनकाय मे
This was formerly given by Brahmā to my father for the sake of righteousness.
पुष्करे च महातीर्थे पुण्याहे देवसंसदि 4.17.
At Puṣkara, the great holy place, on an auspicious day, in the assembly of the gods.
इदं स्तोत्रं महापुण्यं तुभ्यं दत्तं मया मुने
This great and meritorious hymn has been given to you by me, O sage.
यावज्जीवमिदं स्तोत्रं त्रिसंध्यं यः पठेन्नरः
Whoever recites this hymn at the three junctions of the day, for as long as he lives,