Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3
The Anukramaṇikā (Contents-Outline) of the Vāmana Purāṇa
पुराणप्रश्नः प्रथमं ब्रह्मशीर्षच्छिदा ततः । कपालमोचनाख्यानं दक्षयज्ञविहिंसनम् ॥ ३ ॥
purāṇapraśnaḥ prathamaṃ brahmaśīrṣacchidā tataḥ | kapālamocanākhyānaṃ dakṣayajñavihiṃsanam || 3 ||
First comes the inquiry concerning the Purāṇa; next, the severing of Brahmā’s head; then the tale of release from the sin of the skull; and the account of the disruption of Dakṣa’s sacrifice.
Suta (summarizing the Narada Purana’s contents in the Anukramaṇikā section)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It functions as an Anukramaṇikā (table of contents), signaling that the text will cover Purāṇic inquiry, grave transgression and its expiation (Kapālamocana), and the dharmic consequences of offending the sacred (Dakṣa’s yajña).
Indirectly: by listing episodes centered on divine authority and the restoration of order, it frames devotion as alignment with dharma—honoring the divine and seeking purification when one errs.
Ritual knowledge is implied through the reference to Dakṣa’s yajña—showing that yajña must be performed with proper reverence and correct intention, otherwise it becomes spiritually counterproductive.