Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Anukramaṇī (Synoptic Table of Contents) of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa

Devanagari script

श्रीब्रह्मोवाच । श्रृणु विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि पुराणं नारदीयकम् । पंचविंशतिसाहस्रं बृहत्कल्पकथाश्रयम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrībrahmovāca | śrṛṇu vipra pravakṣyāmi purāṇaṃ nāradīyakam | paṃcaviṃśatisāhasraṃ bṛhatkalpakathāśrayam || 1 ||

Translation

Śrī Brahmā sprach: „O brāhmaṇa, höre — ich werde das Nāradiya‑Purāṇa darlegen, aus fünfundzwanzigtausend Versen bestehend und gegründet auf die Erzähltradition der Bṛhat‑kalpa.“

Word by Word

• śrī-brahmā: the venerable Brahmā
• śrī-brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + brahmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); वक्तृ-निर्देश (speaker tag)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• vipra: O Brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• pravakṣyāmi: I shall expound
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• purāṇam: Purāṇa
• purāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• nāradīyakam: Nārada-related; Nāradiya
• nāradīyakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāradīyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier of purāṇam)

• paṃca-viṃśati-sāhasram: twenty-five thousand (in extent)
• paṃca-viṃśati-sāhasram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṃca (संख्या) + viṃśati (संख्या) + sāhasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समास (numerical): “twenty-five thousand (verses)”

• bṛhat-kalpa-kathā-āśrayam: based on the narrative of the great Kalpa
• bṛhat-kalpa-kathā-āśrayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier of purāṇam)

Speaker

Brahma

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narada

FAQs

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

It establishes śravaṇa (reverent listening) as the doorway to Purāṇic wisdom and formally announces the authoritative scope, lineage, and size of the Nāradiya Purāṇa.

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

By commanding “listen” and promising a structured exposition, it points to bhakti’s foundational practice of hearing sacred narration (kathā-śravaṇa), which later supports devotion to Viṣṇu through Purāṇic teaching.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily signals textual classification and transmission (how a Purāṇa is organized by verse-count and kalpa-tradition), rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.