Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

The Description of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa’s Table of Contents

Anukramaṇī

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । श्रृणु वत्स प्रवक्ष्यामि ब्रह्मांडाख्यं पुरातनम् । यच्च द्वादशसाहस्रमादिकल्पकथायुतम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

brahmovāca | śrṛṇu vatsa pravakṣyāmi brahmāṃḍākhyaṃ purātanam | yacca dvādaśasāhasramādikalpakathāyutam || 1 ||

Translation

قال براهما: اصغِ يا بُنيَّ الحبيب؛ سأُعلن البورانا العتيقة المعروفة باسم «برهماندا»، وهي مؤلَّفة من اثني عشر ألف بيت، ومزيَّنة بحكايات الكَلْبَة الأولى، أي الدهر الكوني البدئي.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वत्स: O child/dear one
• वत्स: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain/tell
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• ब्रह्माण्डाख्यम्: called ‘Brahmāṇḍa’
• ब्रह्माण्डाख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक); (ब्रह्माण्डम् इति आख्यं)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival)

• पुरातनम्: ancient
• पुरातनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्वादशसाहस्रम्: twelve-thousand (in extent)
• द्वादशसाहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• आदिकल्पकथायुतम्: endowed with the narrative of the primordial kalpa
• आदिकल्पकथायुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि + कल्प + कथा + युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण; (आदिकल्पस्य कथा) + युत = ‘endowed with’

Speaker

Brahmā

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa

FAQs

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

It frames Purāṇic knowledge as a sacred transmission: Brahmā introduces an ancient cosmological text (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa), emphasizing that understanding creation across kalpas supports right view of dharma and the divine order.

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

While not explicitly teaching bhakti, it establishes the authority of Purāṇic narration—one of the primary vehicles through which devotion to the Supreme (often Vishnu in Purāṇas) is cultivated via hearing (śravaṇa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to purāṇic anukramaṇikā-style cataloging—textual structure by verse-count and kalpa-topic—supporting traditional disciplines of organizing and transmitting sacred literature (a practical aspect akin to śāstra-pāṭha and textual taxonomy).