Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

तदष्टादशसाहस्रं कीर्तितं पापनाशनम् । सुरपादपरूपोऽयं स्कंधैर्द्वादशभिर्युतः ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

tadaṣṭādaśasāhasraṃ kīrtitaṃ pāpanāśanam | surapādaparūpo'yaṃ skaṃdhairdvādaśabhiryutaḥ || 2 ||

Translation

Es ist verkündet worden, dass es aus achtzehntausend (Versen) besteht und Sünde vernichtet. Dieses Werk liegt in der Gestalt der sogenannten Surapāda-Gliederung vor und ist mit zwölf Skandhas versehen.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (text)
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Anaphoric/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; refers to the Bhāgavata Purāṇa

• अष्टादशसाहस्रम्: eighteen-thousand (in extent)
• अष्टादशसाहस्रम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: ‘अष्टादश सहस्राणि (श्लोकाः)’ = ‘eighteen thousand’

• कीर्तितम्: declared, described
• कीर्तितम्: प्रत्ययार्थ-सम्बन्ध (Predicative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective ‘is declared’

• पापनाशनम्: destroyer of sins
• पापनाशनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘पापस्य नाशनम्’

• सुरपादपरूपः: having a supreme form (connected with the gods’ feet)
• सुरपादपरूपः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर + पाद + पर + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सुराणां पादाः’ (gods’ feet) + ‘परं रूपम्’ (supreme form) → ‘having the supreme form of the gods’ feet’ (traditional epithet; sense-based)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• स्कन्धैः: with sections/books (skandhas)
• स्कन्धैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), बहुवचन

• द्वादशभिः: twelve
• द्वादशभिः: करण-विशेषण (Instrument-qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशन् (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; numeral adjective qualifying ‘स्कन्धैः’

• युतः: endowed, joined
• युतः: प्रत्ययार्थ-सम्बन्ध (Predicative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) used adjectivally, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘युक्तः/युतः’ = endowed/connected

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It frames the Narada Purana as a pāpanāśana text—recitation, hearing, and preservation of its teaching are presented as spiritually purifying, while also giving its canonical measure (18,000 verses) and organization (12 skandhas).

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

By praising the Purana as sin-destroying, it implies that śravaṇa and kīrtana of Purāṇic dharma—typically centered on Hari/Vishnu—serve as a practical bhakti practice that purifies the devotee.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights anukramaṇikā-style textual science—counting verses and defining structural divisions (skandhas/pādas)—a practical archival/organizational discipline used to preserve and transmit Purāṇic literature accurately.