Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 161

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

कल्पः शालस्तथा नन्दिग्रामत्रयमनुत्तमम् । असिशुक्लपितृसंज्ञं तीर्थत्रयमुदाहृतम् ॥ १६१ ॥

Transliteration

kalpaḥ śālastathā nandigrāmatrayamanuttamam | asiśuklapitṛsaṃjñaṃ tīrthatrayamudāhṛtam || 161 ||

Translation

Kalpa, Śāla und die unvergleichliche Dreiheit namens Nandigrāma—diese werden als drei Tīrthas (heilige Furten) verkündet, genannt Asi, Śukla und Pitṛ.

Word by Word

• कल्पः: Kalpa (name)
• कल्पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Proper noun (स्थान/तीर्थनाम)

• शालः: Śāla (name)
• शालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Proper noun

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction/adverb (समुच्चय/अनुक्रम)

• नन्दि-ग्राम-त्रयम्: the three Nandigrāmas
• नन्दि-ग्राम-त्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दि (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (नन्दिग्रामाणां त्रयम्) द्विगु-समासः

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; superlative adjective

• असि-शुक्ल-पितृ-संज्ञम्: called Asi, Śukla, and Pitṛ
• असि-शुक्ल-पितृ-संज्ञम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (असि/शुक्ल/पितृ-नामक)

• तीर्थ-त्रयम्: the three sacred fords (tīrthas)
• तीर्थ-त्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• उदाहृतम्: has been stated/declared
• उदाहृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (has been declared)

Speaker

Narada (in an enumerative/anukramanika mode, listing names of tīrthas/sections)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It functions as a catalog entry: it identifies and groups specific sacred places as a triad of tīrthas, signaling their religious importance for pilgrimage and merit (puṇya).

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

Indirectly: by naming tīrthas, it supports devotional practice through pilgrimage and remembrance of sacred geography, which in Purāṇic tradition is a bhakti-aid rather than a philosophical argument.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily nirukta-style and itihāsa-purāṇa cataloging: correct preservation of names, classifications, and groupings of sacred sites—useful for ritual/pilgrimage manuals rather than technical Vedāṅga instruction.