Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3
The Exposition of the Table of Contents (Anukramaṇī) of the Agni Purāṇa
प्रश्नः पूर्वं पुराणस्य कथा सर्वावतारजा । सृष्टिप्रकरणं चाथ विष्णुपूजादिकं ततः ॥ ३ ॥
praśnaḥ pūrvaṃ purāṇasya kathā sarvāvatārajā | sṛṣṭiprakaraṇaṃ cātha viṣṇupūjādikaṃ tataḥ || 3 ||
Zuerst kommt die Befragung über das Purāṇa; dann die Erzählung, die aus allen göttlichen Herabkünften (Avatāras) hervorgeht. Darauf folgt der Abschnitt über die Schöpfung, und danach die Themen, beginnend mit der Verehrung Viṣṇus.
Suta (narrating the Narada Purana’s topic-sequence in an anukramanika style)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It frames the Purāṇa as a guided progression: sincere inquiry leads into avatāra-centered narration, then cosmology (sṛṣṭi), and finally practical devotion—especially worship of Viṣṇu—showing that knowledge culminates in bhakti and practice.
By placing “viṣṇupūjā” after the creation and avatāra narratives, it implies that hearing/understanding the Lord’s manifestations and the order of creation naturally matures into worship—devotion is presented as the practical outcome of Purāṇic listening.
The verse points to ritual application (viṣṇupūjā-ādika) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; it signals that the text will move from narrative and cosmology into structured worship practices (vidhi) and related observances.