Brahma Vaivarta Purana Chapter 17:221-230

Brahma Vaivarta Purana

Çri Våndävana-nagara-varnana

Description of Çri Våndävana

Chapter 17: Verse 221-230

ENGLISH TRANSLATION 221.Çri Närada said: O guru of the worlds, what are these sixteen names of Çri Rädhä? Please tell them to me. I am your disciple and I am very eager to hear them. 222.I have already heard the thousand names of Çri Rädhä in the Säma Veda. Still, I wish to hear these sixteen names from you. 223.Are these names included in the thousand names, or are they different? The devotees yearn to hear these sacred names. 224.What is the derivation of these names? These names are all rare and difficult to attain. These names of the mother of the universes purify the conditioned souls in this world. 225.Çri Näräyana Åñi said: These names are Rädhä, Raseçvaré, Rasa-vasiné, Rasikeçvaré, Kåñna-pranadhika, Kåñna-priya, Kåñna- svarupiné, . . . 226.. . . Kåñna-vamaàça-sambhuta, Paramananda-rupiné, Kåñna, Våndavané, Vånda, Våndavana-vinodiné, . . . 227.. . . Candrävali, Candrakanta, and Çata-candra-nibhanana. Now I will explain the meaning of these names. 228.The syllable rä" means charity" and the syllable dhä" means liberation". Therefore Rädhä means She who gives liberation in charity." 229.Räseçvari means the wife of He who is the king of the räsa dance". Räsa-väsini means She who stays in the räsa dance". 230.The saintly devotees say the name Rasikeçvari means The queen of all goddesses expert at tasting the nectar of transcendental mellows".