Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 188

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

नलकर्कोटेश्वरयोर्हाटकेश्वरजा कथा । नारदेशयंत्रभूषादुर्गकूटगणेशजा ॥ १८८ ॥

Transliteration

nalakarkoṭeśvarayorhāṭakeśvarajā kathā | nāradeśayaṃtrabhūṣādurgakūṭagaṇeśajā || 188 ||

Translation

Sont inclus le récit concernant Nala et Karkoṭeśvara, ainsi que l’histoire liée à Hāṭakeśvara ; de même (les récits de) Nāradeśa, du yantra sacré en guise d’ornement, et de Gaṇeśa de Durgakūṭa—tout cela est rassemblé ici.

Word by Word

• नल-कर्कोट-ईश्वरयोः: of Nala-Karkoṭeśvara (the two/paired lords)
• नल-कर्कोट-ईश्वरयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल + कर्कोट + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्गानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual); समासः—द्वन्द्वः (इतरेतर): ‘नलकर्कोटेश्वर’ (एकं नाम) इति द्वन्द्व-सम्बन्धेन द्वयोर् ईश्वरयोः (द्वौ देवालयौ/लिङ्गौ)

• हाटकेश्वर-जा: born from/connected with Hāṭakeśvara
• हाटकेश्वर-जा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाटकेश्वर + ज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ज’ = जन्म/उत्पत्ति-सम्बन्ध)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (हाटकेश्वरात् जाता)

• कथा: the account
• कथा: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नारद-ईश-यंत्र-भूषा-दुर्ग-कूट-गणेश-जा: arising from/connected with (Nāradeśa, Yantrabhūṣā, Durgakūṭa, Gaṇeśa)
• नारद-ईश-यंत्र-भूषा-दुर्ग-कूट-गणेश-जा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारद + ईश + यंत्र + भूषा + दुर्ग + कूट + गणेश + ज (प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्गानि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सम्बन्ध/निर्देश), अन्तपदम् ‘जा’ (ज-प्रत्ययान्त)

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the Narada Purana’s contents in an anukramanika-style list)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Nala
• Karkoṭeśvara
• Hāṭakeśvara
• Gaṇeśa
• Nāradeśa
• Durgakūṭa

FAQs

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

This verse functions as an anukramaṇikā (index): it signals that the Purana includes multiple sacred narratives—deity-related accounts, place-based mahatmyas, and yantra-associated traditions—guiding the reader toward dharma and sacred remembrance (smaraṇa) through curated topics.

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

Indirectly: by listing deity-centered kathās (Karkoṭeśvara, Hāṭakeśvara, Gaṇeśa), it points to bhakti as practiced through hearing (śravaṇa) and recollection of divine names, places, and legends—standard Purāṇic bhakti methods.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily reflects Purāṇic cataloguing rather than a Vedāṅga lesson; however, the explicit mention of a yantra hints at applied ritual-technical knowledge used in worship (mantra/yantra-oriented upāsanā) within Purāṇic practice.