Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 92

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

अतः परं त्ववंत्याख्यं श्रृणु खंड च पंचमम् । महाकालवनाख्यानं ब्रह्मशीर्षच्छिदा ततः ॥ ९२ ॥

Transliteration

ataḥ paraṃ tvavaṃtyākhyaṃ śrṛṇu khaṃḍa ca paṃcamam | mahākālavanākhyānaṃ brahmaśīrṣacchidā tataḥ || 92 ||

Translation

À présent, écoute le cinquième chapitre nommé « Avanti ». Vient ensuite le récit de la forêt de Mahākāla, puis l’histoire de la décapitation de Brahmā.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: thereupon/therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रम-हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (हेतौ/अनन्तरार्थे)

• param: next/further
• param: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya-prayoga (अव्ययवत्), accusative used adverbially (द्वितीया-अव्ययीभाववत्)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात)

• avaṃtī-ākhyaṃ: (the section) called Avanti
• avaṃtī-ākhyaṃ: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avaṃtī (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘avaṃtyāḥ ākhyaṃ’ = named Avanti; (khaṇḍam iti śeṣaḥ)

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• khaṇḍa: O (dear) section/division (i.e., O listener about the section)
• khaṇḍa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) or Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) in address; Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चयार्थः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• pañcamam: the fifth
• pañcamam: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ordinal adjective qualifying ‘khaṇḍam’ (understood)

• mahā-kāla-vana-ākhyānam: the narrative of Mahākāla forest
• mahā-kāla-vana-ākhyānam: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा) or Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘mahākālasya vanam’ + ‘tasya ākhyānam’

• brahma-śīrṣa-chidā: by the cutter of Brahmā’s head (i.e., by Śiva as Brahmaśīrṣacchit)
• brahma-śīrṣa-chidā: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + śīrṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + chid (धातु) → chida (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); कृदन्तः—‘chid’ धातोः ‘-a’ (कर्तरि) प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुषः—‘brahmaṇaḥ śīrṣaṃ chinatti’ इति (Brahmā’s head-cutter)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (अनन्तरार्थे)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana’s sectional outline in Anukramanika style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Avanti
• Mahakala
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It functions as an anukramaṇikā (table-of-contents style) transition, signaling a move into sacred geography and dharma-narratives—especially Avanti and Mahākāla—guiding the listener toward tīrtha-oriented merit and purāṇic moral instruction.

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

Indirectly: by directing attention to Avanti/Mahākāla narratives, it frames devotion through tīrtha-mahātmya—hearing and remembering holy places and their legends as supportive practices for Viṣṇu/Śiva-centered श्रद्धा (faith) within purāṇic bhakti culture.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Not a technical Vedāṅga teaching; rather, it shows purāṇic structuring (khaṇḍa/section sequencing) used for recitation and study, helping practitioners navigate topics like tīrtha-mahātmya and dharma-kathā in an organized way.