Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Exposition of the Index (Anukramaṇī) of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata

Devanagari script

वंश्यानुचरिते प्रोक्तो नवमोऽयं महामते । कृष्णस्य बालचरितं कौमारं च व्रजस्थितिः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

vaṃśyānucarite prokto navamo'yaṃ mahāmate | kṛṣṇasya bālacaritaṃ kaumāraṃ ca vrajasthitiḥ || 16 ||

Translation

O Großgesinnter, im Abschnitt über Dynastien und Geschlechter wird dieses neunte Thema verkündet: Krishnas Kindheitslīlās — seine Knabenzeit und sein Verweilen in Vraja.

Word by Word

• वंश्य-अनुचरिते: in the (section) on dynastic continuation/history
• वंश्य-अनुचरिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुचरित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √चर् (धातु) + अनु-, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वंश्यस्य अनुचरितम् = वंशानुचरितम्)

• प्रोक्तः: has been stated
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु) + प्र-, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘कथितः’

• नवमः: the ninth
• नवमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम्

• अयम्: this (one/section)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; संबोधन-पदम्

• कृष्णस्य: of Krishna
• कृष्णस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• बाल-चरितम्: childhood deeds
• बाल-चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (कृदन्त; √चर् (धातु))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-सम्भव (बालस्य चरितम्)

• कौमारम्: boyhood/early youth
• कौमारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘कौमारावस्था/बाल्य’ अर्थे

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

• व्रज-स्थितिः: dwelling in Vraja
• व्रज-स्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था (धातु) से स्त्रीभाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (व्रजे स्थितिः/व्रजस्य स्थितिः)

Speaker

Suta (narrator) summarizing the Narada Purana’s contents in Anukramanika style

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vraja

FAQs

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

It signals that Krishna’s Vraja childhood-lila is a core devotional subject within the Purana’s structured outline, implying that remembering His early deeds is itself a sanctioned path for cultivating bhakti.

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

By elevating Krishna’s bālacarita and Vraja-sthiti as a formal topic, the text points devotees toward lila-smaraṇa—contemplation of the Lord’s affectionate, accessible form—as a practical means to deepen loving devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse functions as an anukramaṇikā (systematic index) rather than a Vedanga lesson; it reflects Purāṇic organization and topic-classification, not technical instruction in śikṣā, vyākaraṇa, or jyotiṣa.