Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

The Narration of the Brāhma Purāṇa’s Account

Brāhma Purāṇānukramaṇikā

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । ब्रह्मन्पुराणविच्छ्रेष्ठ ज्ञानविज्ञानतत्पर । पुराणानां विभागं मे साकल्ये नानुकीर्तय ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | brahmanpurāṇavicchreṣṭha jñānavijñānatatpara | purāṇānāṃ vibhāgaṃ me sākalye nānukīrtaya || 8 ||

Translation

Nārada said: O Brahmin, foremost knower of the Purāṇas, devoted to spiritual knowledge and realized discernment—please recount to me, in full, the classification and divisions of the Purāṇas.

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• पुराणवित्: knower of the Purāṇas
• पुराणवित्: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; विद् ‘knower’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पुराणं वेत्ति)

• श्रेष्ठ: O best
• श्रेष्ठ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• ज्ञानविज्ञानतत्पर: devoted to knowledge and realization
• ज्ञानविज्ञानतत्पर: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + विज्ञान + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ज्ञान-विज्ञाने तत्परः)

• पुराणानाम्: of the Purāṇas
• पुराणानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• विभागम्: classification, division
• विभागम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana/Sambandha (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic)

• साकल्ये: completely, in entirety
• साकल्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साकल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in full/entirely’

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (अव्यय/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अनुकीर्तय: recount, describe
• अनुकीर्तय: Kriya (क्रिया/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अनु

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames Purāṇa-study as a disciplined, complete inquiry—seeking both jñāna (scriptural knowledge) and vijñāna (assimilated understanding)—and introduces the systematic enumeration of Purāṇas that follows.

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

While not directly prescribing bhakti practices, it supports bhakti by establishing authentic scriptural orientation: knowing the Purāṇas in their proper divisions helps a devotee align devotion with authoritative narratives and dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes anukīrtana (ordered enumeration) and vibhāga (classification), reflecting a practical scholarly method akin to śāstric organization; it is more about textual taxonomy than a specific Vedāṅga like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa.