Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 159

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

कौरवं हाटकेशाख्यं प्रभासं क्षेत्रकत्रयम् । पौष्करं नैमिषं धार्ममरण्य त्रितयं स्मृतम् ॥ १५९ ॥

Transliteration

kauravaṃ hāṭakeśākhyaṃ prabhāsaṃ kṣetrakatrayam | pauṣkaraṃ naimiṣaṃ dhārmamaraṇya tritayaṃ smṛtam || 159 ||

Translation

Kaurava, Hāṭakeśa et Prabhāsa : on s’en souvient comme d’une triade de kṣetra, champs sacrés de pèlerinage. De même, Puṣkara, Naimiṣa et Dhārma-araṇya sont rappelés comme une triade d’araṇya, forêts saintes.

Word by Word

• kauravam: Kaurava (section/account)
• kauravam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter as title/name, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• hāṭakeśa-ākhyam: called Hāṭakeśa
• hāṭakeśa-ākhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hāṭakeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (hāṭakeśa-nāmakaṃ)

• prabhāsam: Prabhāsa
• prabhāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter as place/title, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• kṣetraka-trayam: the triad of sacred fields (three kṣetrakas)
• kṣetraka-trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetraka (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (kṣetrakāṇi trīṇi)

• pauṣkaram: Pauṣkara (Puṣkara)
• pauṣkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pauṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter as place/title, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• naimiṣam: Naimiṣa
• naimiṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naimiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter as place/title, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• dhārma-araṇya-tritayam: the triad of sacred forests
• dhārma-araṇya-tritayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārma (प्रातिपदिक) + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + tritaya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (dhārmāṇi araṇyāṇi trīṇi = three sacred forests)

• smṛtam: is said/recorded
• smṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle used predicatively (कृदन्तवत् प्रयोगः); technically Kridanta form: स्मृत (क्त); Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular agreeing with tritayam; passive sense ‘is said/remembered’

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the sacred geography/indices as transmitted in the Narada Purana tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kaurava (Kurukṣetra)
• Hāṭakeśa
• Prabhāsa
• Puṣkara
• Naimiṣa (Naimiṣāraṇya)
• Dhārma-araṇya

FAQs

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

It classifies major sanctified locations into two traditional triads—kṣetras and araṇyas—indicating that dharma is strengthened through tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage), remembrance, and contact with places sanctified by long-standing sacred practice.

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

By pointing to renowned kṣetras and araṇyas, the verse supports bhakti indirectly: pilgrimage and residence in holy places are classical aids for steady remembrance (smaraṇa) and worship, which mature devotion toward the Lord and the dharmic life upheld in such tīrthas.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects Purāṇic anukramaṇikā-style organization (a practical indexing method) used to preserve and transmit sacred geography; it is applied knowledge for planning tīrtha-yātrā and ritual observances connected with specific kṣetras and forests.