Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

The Description of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa’s Table of Contents

Anukramaṇī

Devanagari script

सगरस्याथ चरितं भार्गवस्य कथा पुनः । देवासुराहवकथा कृष्णाविर्भाववर्णनम् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

sagarasyātha caritaṃ bhārgavasya kathā punaḥ | devāsurāhavakathā kṛṣṇāvirbhāvavarṇanam || 20 ||

Translation

Dann folgt der Bericht über Sagara, wiederum die Erzählung von Bhārgava, die Geschichte der Kämpfe zwischen Göttern und Dämonen, und die Beschreibung der Erscheinung (Avatāra) Kṛṣṇas.

Word by Word

• सगरस्य: of Sagara
• सगरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमार्थक (then/next)

• चरितम्: deeds/life account
• चरितम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √चर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भार्गवस्य: of Bhārgava
• भार्गवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथा: story/narrative
• कथा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: again/further)

• देव-असुर-अहव-कथा: the story of the gods–demons battle
• देव-असुर-अहव-कथा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अहव (प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: देवानाम् असुराणां च अहवस्य कथा (story of the battle of gods and demons)

• कृष्ण-अविर्भाव-वर्णनम्: description of Krishna’s manifestation
• कृष्ण-अविर्भाव-वर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अविर्भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कृष्णस्य अविर्भावस्य वर्णनम्

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Anukramanika-style contents of Narada Purana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• Bhargava (Parashurama)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Krishna

FAQs

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

It functions as an anukramaṇikā (topic-index) verse, indicating that sacred history—Sagara’s deeds, Bhārgava’s narrative, Deva–Asura conflicts, and Kṛṣṇa’s manifestation—will be used as vehicles to convey dharma and devotion.

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

By explicitly pointing to “Kṛṣṇa’s manifestation,” it signals that the Purāṇa will ground bhakti in līlā and avatāra-kathā—hearing and remembering the Lord’s appearance and deeds as a central devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; it is a contents-summary. Its practical takeaway is the Purāṇic method of instruction: dharma is taught through structured narrative sections (kathā) rather than through a technical Vedāṅga exposition.