Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

The Exposition of the Anukramaṇī (Index/Summary) of the Liṅga Purāṇa

Devanagari script

यच्च लिंगाभिधं तिष्ठन्वह्निलिंगे हरोऽभ्यधात् । मह्यं धर्मादिसिद्ध्यर्थं मग्निकल्पकथाश्रयम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

yacca liṃgābhidhaṃ tiṣṭhanvahniliṃge haro'bhyadhāt | mahyaṃ dharmādisiddhyarthaṃ magnikalpakathāśrayam || 2 ||

Translation

Und während Hara (Śiva) in der Gestalt verweilte, die Liṅga genannt wird—im feurigen Liṅga—sprach er: „Für mich, zur Erlangung von Dharma und den übrigen Lebenszielen, ist dieser Bericht als auf die Erzählung des Agni-kalpa gestützt zu verstehen.“

Word by Word

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता/subject of implied clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• liṅga-abhidham: called ‘Liṅga’
• liṅga-abhidham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of yat)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + abhidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; samāsa: liṅga-abhidha (तत्पुरुषः: ‘having the appellation Liṅga’)

• tiṣṭhan: standing
• tiṣṭhan: Karta (कर्ता/agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with haraḥ

• vahni-liṅge: in the fire-linga
• vahni-liṅge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; samāsa: vahni-liṅga (तत्पुरुषः: ‘fire-linga’)

• haraḥ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• abhyadhāt: declared / spoke
• abhyadhāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi+dhā (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahyam: to me
• mahyam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• dharma-ādi-siddhi-artham: for the attainment of dharma and the like
• dharma-ādi-siddhi-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya in -artham (अर्थम्-प्रयोगः) functioning as purpose-adverb; samāsa: dharma-ādi-siddhi (तत्पुरुषः: ‘attainments beginning with dharma’) + artham (‘for the sake of’)

• magni-kalpa-kathā-āśrayam: based on the narrative of the Mahāgni-kalpa
• magni-kalpa-kathā-āśrayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of yat)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-agni (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; here Nominative agreeing with yat; samāsa: mahā-agni→(sandhi) magni + kalpa-kathā (तत्पुरुषः) + āśraya (तत्पुरुषः: ‘having as basis’)

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Anukramanika-style summary; Śiva/Hara is quoted)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Shiva)
• Liṅga
• Vahni (Agni)

FAQs

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

It frames a teaching as Śiva’s declaration made in the presence of a fiery Liṅga, and links the narrative to an Agni-kalpa account—presenting Purāṇic history as a valid support for pursuing the four human aims beginning with Dharma.

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

By invoking Hara and the Liṅga, it points to reverent remembrance and hearing of sacred narratives (kathā-āśraya) as a devotional means that supports Dharma and higher spiritual attainment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily reflects Purāṇic anukramaṇikā-style referencing—anchoring a teaching to a specific kalpa narrative (Agni-kalpa), which aligns with traditional chronology and textual cross-referencing rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.