Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

गौरीतपः समाख्यानं तत्तत्तीर्थनिरूपणम् । माहिषासुरमाख्यानं वधश्चास्य महाद्भुतः ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

gaurītapaḥ samākhyānaṃ tattattīrthanirūpaṇam | māhiṣāsuramākhyānaṃ vadhaścāsya mahādbhutaḥ || 18 ||

Translation

Es enthält die Erzählung von Gaurīs Askese (tapas), die Beschreibung der jeweiligen Tīrthas, den Bericht über den Asura Mahiṣāsura und auch seine überaus wunderbare Tötung.

Word by Word

• गौरीतपः: Gaurī's austerity
• गौरीतपः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी-तपस् (प्रातिपदिक; गौरी + तपस्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('austerity of Gaurī')

• समाख्यानम्: narration, account
• समाख्यानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); संकेतार्थक (demonstrative)

• तत्: each, that and that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति (repetition for distributive sense)

• तीर्थनिरूपणम्: description of the pilgrimage places
• तीर्थनिरूपणम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक; तीर्थ + निरूपण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ('description of tīrthas')

• माहिषासुरमाख्यानम्: the story of Mahiṣāsura
• माहिषासुरमाख्यानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहिषासुर-आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक; माहिषासुर + आख्यान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('narration of Mahiṣāsura')

• वधः: slaying, killing
• वधः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अस्य: of him/it, thereof
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (m./n.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाद्भुतः: very wonderful
• महाद्भुतः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक; महा + अद्भुत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः ('very wonderful')

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purana’s chapter-wise contents in an Anukramanika-style summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: vira (heroic)

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• Mahiṣāsura
• Tīrtha

FAQs

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

This verse functions as a contents-marker: it signals that the text sanctifies devotion through (1) Gaurī’s tapas (disciplined spiritual effort), (2) tīrtha-nirūpaṇa (theology of sacred places), and (3) the triumph of dharma through the wondrous destruction of Mahiṣāsura.

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

Indirectly, by highlighting tapas and tīrtha: devotion is supported by disciplined practice (tapas) and pilgrimage/holy observances at tīrthas, while the Mahīṣāsura episode reinforces faith in divine protection and the victory of the sacred over destructive forces.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse chiefly points to tīrtha-nirūpaṇa—practical guidance for pilgrimage and sacred geography (a dharma-oriented application), rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.