Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 92

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

अतः परं त्ववंत्याख्यं श्रृणु खंड च पंचमम् । महाकालवनाख्यानं ब्रह्मशीर्षच्छिदा ततः ॥ ९२ ॥

Transliteration

ataḥ paraṃ tvavaṃtyākhyaṃ śrṛṇu khaṃḍa ca paṃcamam | mahākālavanākhyānaṃ brahmaśīrṣacchidā tataḥ || 92 ||

Translation

Nun höre den fünften Abschnitt, der «Avanti» genannt wird. Danach folgt die Erzählung vom Wald des Mahākāla, und dann die Geschichte von der Abtrennung von Brahmās Haupt.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: thereupon/therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रम-हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (हेतौ/अनन्तरार्थे)

• param: next/further
• param: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-prayoga (अव्ययवत्), accusative used adverbially (द्वितीया-अव्ययीभाववत्)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात)

• avaṃtī-ākhyaṃ: (the section) called Avanti
• avaṃtī-ākhyaṃ: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avaṃtī (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘avaṃtyāḥ ākhyaṃ’ = named Avanti; (khaṇḍam iti śeṣaḥ)

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• khaṇḍa: O (dear) section/division (i.e., O listener about the section)
• khaṇḍa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) or Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) in address; Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चयार्थः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• pañcamam: the fifth
• pañcamam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ordinal adjective qualifying ‘khaṇḍam’ (understood)

• mahā-kāla-vana-ākhyānam: the narrative of Mahākāla forest
• mahā-kāla-vana-ākhyānam: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा) or Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘mahākālasya vanam’ + ‘tasya ākhyānam’

• brahma-śīrṣa-chidā: by the cutter of Brahmā’s head (i.e., by Śiva as Brahmaśīrṣacchit)
• brahma-śīrṣa-chidā: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + śīrṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + chid (धातु) → chida (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); कृदन्तः—‘chid’ धातोः ‘-a’ (कर्तरि) प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुषः—‘brahmaṇaḥ śīrṣaṃ chinatti’ इति (Brahmā’s head-cutter)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (अनन्तरार्थे)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana’s sectional outline in Anukramanika style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Avanti
• Mahakala
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It functions as an anukramaṇikā (table-of-contents style) transition, signaling a move into sacred geography and dharma-narratives—especially Avanti and Mahākāla—guiding the listener toward tīrtha-oriented merit and purāṇic moral instruction.

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

Indirectly: by directing attention to Avanti/Mahākāla narratives, it frames devotion through tīrtha-mahātmya—hearing and remembering holy places and their legends as supportive practices for Viṣṇu/Śiva-centered श्रद्धा (faith) within purāṇic bhakti culture.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Not a technical Vedāṅga teaching; rather, it shows purāṇic structuring (khaṇḍa/section sequencing) used for recitation and study, helping practitioners navigate topics like tīrtha-mahātmya and dharma-kathā in an organized way.