Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

पंचधाराभिधं तीर्थं मेरुसंस्थापनं तथा । ततः कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये माहात्म्यं मदनालसम् ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

paṃcadhārābhidhaṃ tīrthaṃ merusaṃsthāpanaṃ tathā | tataḥ kārtikamāhātmye māhātmyaṃ madanālasam || 32 ||

Translation

Viennent ensuite le tīrtha nommé Pañcadhārā et l’établissement du mont Meru. Puis, dans le Kārtika-māhātmya, est exposée la gloire appelée Madanālasa.

Word by Word

• pañca-dhārā-abhidham: called ‘Pañcadhārā’
• pañca-dhārā-abhidham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārā (प्रातिपदिक) + abhidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—पञ्चधाराः अभिधीयन्ते यस्मिन्/येन तत् (नामनिर्देशार्थे ‘अभिध’); विशेषणम् (qualifier) tīrtham इत्यस्य

• tīrtham: tīrtha
• tīrtham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• meru-saṃsthāpanam: establishing of Meru
• meru-saṃsthāpanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthāpana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—मेरोः संस्थापनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमवाचक (also/likewise)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• kārtika-māhātmye: in the Kārtika-māhātmya section
• kārtika-māhātmye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; समासः—कार्तिकस्य माहात्म्ये (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• māhātmyam: glory
• māhātmyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• madana-ālasam: (named) ‘Madanālasa’
• madana-ālasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madana (प्रातिपदिक) + ālasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—मदन इव आलसम् / मदन-आलसम् (कर्मधारय); विशेषणम् (qualifier) māhātmyam इत्यस्य

Speaker

Suta (narrating the text’s topic-outline in an Anukramanika-style chapter)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kārtika-vrata (implied by Kārtika-māhātmya)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Kartika (month)

FAQs

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

It functions as a table-of-contents verse, signaling that the text will describe specific tīrthas and sacred narratives—especially the sanctity of Kārtika and related māhātmyas—thereby guiding readers toward pilgrimage, vrata, and devotional merit.

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

By pointing to Kārtika-māhātmya and tīrtha-glories, it directs devotees to times (Kārtika) and places (tīrthas) traditionally used for intensified Vishnu-oriented worship, vows, and remembrance—core supports of Purāṇic bhakti practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly it reflects calendrical and ritual organization (linked to Jyotiṣa and Kalpa in practice): identifying an auspicious month (Kārtika) and structured sections for rites, vows, and tīrtha-related observances.