Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

The Description of the Index/Summary of the Garuḍa

Purāṇa

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मांडानेकचरितं ब्रह्मजीवनिरूपणम् । आत्यंतिकं लयाख्यानं फलस्तुति निरूपणम् ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

brahmāṃḍānekacaritaṃ brahmajīvanirūpaṇam | ātyaṃtikaṃ layākhyānaṃ phalastuti nirūpaṇam || 32 ||

Translation

It describes the many events of the Brahmāṇḍa (the universe), sets forth the life and career of Brahmā, recounts the final, absolute dissolution (laya), and explains the eulogy of the spiritual fruits of hearing and reciting this Purāṇa.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माण्ड-अनेक-चरितम्: the manifold narrative of the cosmos
• ब्रह्माण्ड-अनेक-चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'ब्रह्माण्डस्य अनेकं चरितम्'

• ब्रह्म-जीव-निरूपणम्: exposition of Brahman and the individual soul
• ब्रह्म-जीव-निरूपणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); द्वन्द्व (समाहार-द्वन्द्व): 'ब्रह्म च जीवश्च तयोः निरूपणम्'

• आत्यन्तिकम्: ultimate/final
• आत्यन्तिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्यन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying 'लयाख्यानम्')

• लय-आख्यानम्: account of dissolution (pralaya)
• लय-आख्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'लयस्य आख्यानम्'

• फल-स्तुति: praise of the benefits
• फल-स्तुति: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'फलस्य स्तुतिḥ'

• निरूपणम्: exposition/description
• निरूपणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta (Anukramaṇikā narrator summarizing contents)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It functions as an anukramaṇikā (table-of-contents) marker, highlighting that the Purāṇa teaches cosmic perspective (brahmāṇḍa), the role of Brahmā, the doctrine of final dissolution (laya), and the phalastuti that motivates śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation) as meritorious spiritual practices.

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

Indirectly, through “phalastuti-nirūpaṇam”: Purāṇic phalastutis typically encourage devoted listening and recitation with faith (śraddhā), framing engagement with the text as a bhakti-supporting discipline that yields spiritual merit and inner purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No single Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; rather, it signals Purāṇic pedagogical structure—cosmology, genealogy/roles of deities like Brahmā, eschatology (laya), and phalastuti—used as a mnemonic outline for study and recitation.