Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 102

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

कालारण्ये लिंगसंख्या स्वर्णश्रृंगाभिधानकम् । कुशस्थल्या अवंत्याश्चोज्जयिन्या अभिधानकम् ॥ १०२ ॥

Transliteration

kālāraṇye liṃgasaṃkhyā svarṇaśrṛṃgābhidhānakam | kuśasthalyā avaṃtyāścojjayinyā abhidhānakam || 102 ||

Translation

À Kālāraṇya, le tīrtha nommé Liṅgasaṃkhyā est aussi connu sous le nom de Svarṇaśṛṅga. Et Kuśasthalī est le nom renommé d’Avantī, également appelée Ujjayinī.

Word by Word

• कालारण्ये: in Kālāraṇya (the Kāla-forest)
• कालारण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालारण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—काल + अरण्य (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः: ‘dark/black forest’ or ‘Kāla-forest’)

• लिङ्गसंख्या: the number of liṅgas
• लिङ्गसंख्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—लिङ्गानां संख्या (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• स्वर्णशृङ्गाभिधानकम्: the account/section called ‘Svarṇaśṛṅga’
• स्वर्णशृङ्गाभिधानकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्णशृङ्ग + अभिधानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—स्वर्णशृङ्गस्य अभिधानकम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• कुशस्थल्या: by/with Kuśasthalī (as a place-name reference)
• कुशस्थल्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशस्थली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—कुश + स्थली (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः: ‘Kuśa-plain/place’)

• अवन्त्याः: of Avantī
• अवन्त्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उज्जयिन्याः: of Ujjayinī
• उज्जयिन्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उज्जयिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अभिधानकम्: an account/description (named section)
• अभिधानकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिधानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Narada (continuing an anukramaṇikā-style enumeration, addressed within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kālāraṇya
• Liṅgasaṃkhyā
• Svarṇaśṛṅga
• Kuśasthalī
• Avantī
• Ujjayinī

FAQs

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

It preserves the sacred cartography of tīrthas by recording their alternate traditional names, helping devotees identify authentic pilgrimage sites and their sanctity across regions and lineages.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through tīrtha-yātrā and remembrance: knowing the correct sacred names supports devotional pilgrimage, temple worship, and recitation tied to these holy places.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Nirukta-like onomastics and Itihāsa–Purāṇa tradition—practical knowledge of names, synonyms, and regional identifications used for correct ritual intent (saṅkalpa) during pilgrimages.