Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 190

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

बहुस्वर्णेशश्रृंगेशकोटीश्वरकथा ततः । मार्कंडेश्वरकोटीशदामोदरगृहोत्कथा ॥ १९० ॥

Transliteration

bahusvarṇeśaśrṛṃgeśakoṭīśvarakathā tataḥ | mārkaṃḍeśvarakoṭīśadāmodaragṛhotkathā || 190 ||

Translation

Vient ensuite le récit de Bahu-Svarṇeśa, Śṛṅgeśa et Koṭīśvara ; puis la narration renommée concernant Mārkaṇḍeśvara, Koṭīśa et la demeure sacrée de Dāmodara.

Word by Word

• बहु-स्वर्ण-ईश-शृङ्ग-ईश-कोटीश्वर-कथा: the account of (the shrines) Bahusvarṇeśa, Śṛṅgeśa, Koṭīśvara
• बहु-स्वर्ण-ईश-शृङ्ग-ईश-कोटीश्वर-कथा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (determinative), अन्तपदं ‘कथा’

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable); क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) ‘thereafter/then’

• मार्कण्डेश्वर-कोटीश-दामोदर-गृह-उत्कथा: the excellent account of Mārkaṇḍeśvara, Koṭīśa, and Dāmodara’s abode
• मार्कण्डेश्वर-कोटीश-दामोदर-गृह-उत्कथा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटीश (प्रातिपदिक) + दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः, अन्तपदं ‘उत्कथा’ (=विशिष्टा कथा)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Narada Purana’s chapter-wise contents in Anukramanika style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bahu-Svarṇeśa
• Śṛṅgeśa
• Koṭīśvara
• Mārkaṇḍeśvara
• Koṭīśa
• Dāmodara

FAQs

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

It functions as an anukramaṇikā (table-of-contents) marker, indicating that the text proceeds to sacred narratives connected with key kṣetras/tīrthas and their presiding deities—especially forms of Śiva (Koṭīśvara, Mārkaṇḍeśvara) and Viṣṇu (Dāmodara).

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

By naming Dāmodara alongside major Śaiva kṣetra accounts, it signals a Purāṇic bhakti framework where hearing (śravaṇa) and recollection (smaraṇa) of the Lord’s names, places, and līlās are themselves devotional practices leading to merit and inner purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the Purāṇic method of organizing dharma-material through anukramaṇikā-style indexing of kṣetra-mahātmyas for ritual travel, vrata observance, and tīrtha-darśana planning.