Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

ज्ञानयोगसमाख्यानं महिमा द्वादशाक्षरेः । श्रवणादिकपुण्यं च कीर्तितं शर्मदं नृणाम् ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

jñānayogasamākhyānaṃ mahimā dvādaśākṣareḥ | śravaṇādikapuṇyaṃ ca kīrtitaṃ śarmadaṃ nṛṇām || 68 ||

Translation

Sont exposés le Yoga de la Connaissance, la grandeur du mantra aux douze syllabes, et le mérite issu des pratiques commençant par l’écoute—apportant paix et bien-être aux êtres humains.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानयोगसमाख्यानम्: exposition of the yoga of knowledge
• ज्ञानयोगसमाख्यानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान-योग-समाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञान + योग + समाख्यान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Nom/Acc singular; तत्पुरुषसमासः (ज्ञानयोगस्य समाख्यानम्)

• महिमा: greatness; glory
• महिमा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• द्वादशाक्षरेः: of the twelve-syllabled (mantra)
• द्वादशाक्षरेः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशाक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; द्वादश + अक्षर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive singular; द्विगुसमासः (द्वादश अक्षराणि)

• श्रवणादिकपुण्यम्: merit from hearing and the like
• श्रवणादिकपुण्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण-आदि-क-पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक; श्रवण + आदि + क + पुण्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Nom/Acc singular; तत्पुरुषसमासः (श्रवणादिकं यत् पुण्यम्)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय — conjunction

• कीर्तितम्: has been described; is proclaimed
• कीर्तितम्: कर्म (Karma; predicate to implied subject ‘it is described’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — past passive participle ‘praised/declared’

• शर्मदम्: giving happiness/peace
• शर्मदम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्मद (प्रातिपदिक; शर्मन् + द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Nom/Acc singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (शर्म ददाति इति)

• नृणाम्: of men; for people
• नृणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — Genitive plural

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the contents/teachings in an anukramanika manner)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dvadashakshari Mantra

FAQs

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

It functions as a topical summary: it affirms that jñāna-yoga, the Vishnu-centered twelve-syllabled mantra, and devotional disciplines beginning with hearing are all peace-giving and spiritually meritorious for humans.

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

By highlighting “śravaṇa-ādika” (hearing and related limbs), it points to core bhakti methods—listening to sacred teachings and engaging in allied practices—presented as direct sources of punya and inner peace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Shiksha) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is mantra-practice (dvādaśākṣarī) and bhakti-discipline beginning with śravaṇa.