Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

किंचिन्न्यूनार्कसाहस्रो बहुपुण्यो बृहत्कथः । सुचरित्रशतैर्युक्तः स्कन्दमाहात्म्यसूचकः ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

kiṃcinnyūnārkasāhasro bahupuṇyo bṛhatkathaḥ | sucaritraśatairyuktaḥ skandamāhātmyasūcakaḥ || 6 ||

Translation

Die große Erzählung (Bṛhatkathā) umfasst etwas weniger als tausend Verse, ist von hohem Verdienst, mit Hunderten edler Begebenheiten versehen und weist auf die Größe Skandas hin.

Word by Word

• किंचित्: somewhat / a little
• किंचित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनवत्; here adverbial ‘somewhat/a little’ (particle)

• न्यून: less
• न्यून: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यून (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular; used as qualifier in compound sense ‘less’

• अर्कसाहस्रः: a thousand (verses)
• अर्कसाहस्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अर्काणां साहस्रः) ‘thousand of verses (arka)’

• बहुपुण्यः: highly meritorious
• बहुपुण्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular; कर्मधारयः ‘much + meritorious’

• बृहत्कथः: the great narrative
• बृहत्कथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहत् + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular; कर्मधारयः (बृहती कथा)

• सुचरित्रशतैः: with hundreds of good episodes/deeds
• सुचरित्रशतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुचरित्र + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः ‘good deeds’ + ‘hundreds’

• युक्तः: endowed (with)
• युक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past passive participle (क्त) ‘endowed/connected’

• स्कन्दमाहात्म्यसूचकः: indicating the greatness of Skanda
• स्कन्दमाहात्म्यसूचकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्कन्द + माहात्म्य + सूचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्कन्दमाहात्म्यस्य सूचकः)

Speaker

Narada (describing the text’s scope in an anukramanika-style summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Skanda

FAQs

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

It frames a sacred narrative as a compact, highly meritorious text: hearing/reciting such a kathā generates puṇya and serves as a guide to understanding Skanda’s māhātmya (glory).

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

By praising a devotional narrative that highlights Skanda’s greatness, it implies bhakti through śravaṇa (listening) and kīrtana (recitation) of edifying episodes that cultivate reverence and faith.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects an anukramaṇikā method—cataloging a work by scope (approximate verse count) and subject—akin to technical indexing/classification rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.