Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

The Description of the Index/Summary of the Garuḍa

Purāṇa

Devanagari script

प्रेतत्वोद्धारकथनं कर्मकृर्त्तृविनिर्णयः । मृत्योः पूर्वक्रियाख्यानं पश्चात्कर्मनिरूपणम् ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

pretatvoddhārakathanaṃ karmakṛrttṛvinirṇayaḥ | mṛtyoḥ pūrvakriyākhyānaṃ paścātkarmanirūpaṇam || 27 ||

Translation

Il expose les moyens de délivrer quelqu’un de l’état de preta, détermine qui est qualifié pour accomplir les rites, explique les actes à faire avant la mort et prescrit les rituels à accomplir après le décès.

Word by Word

• preta-tva-uddhāra-kathanam: account of deliverance from the state of a preta
• preta-tva-uddhāra-kathanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + tva (प्रत्यय/भाव) + uddhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kathana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'statement (kathana) of the deliverance (uddhāra) from pretahood (preta-tva)'

• karma-kartṛ-vinirṇayaḥ: determination of action and agent
• karma-kartṛ-vinirṇayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + vinirṇaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; dvandva within: karma+kartṛ (object and agent) + tatpuruṣa with vinirṇaya: 'determination regarding karma and agent'

• mṛtyoḥ: of death
• mṛtyoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी) Ekavacana

• pūrva-kriyā-ākhyānam: narration of the rites before (death)
• pūrva-kriyā-ākhyānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'narration (ākhyāna) of prior rites/actions (pūrva-kriyā)'

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'afterwards'

• karma-nirūpaṇam: exposition of the subsequent rites
• karma-nirūpaṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + nirūpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'exposition (nirūpaṇa) of rites/actions (karma)'

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the Narada Purana’s contents in an anukramaṇikā style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It frames death-related dharma as a structured Vedic duty—guiding the soul’s transition by prescribing deliverance from preta-status, clarifying ritual eligibility, and outlining rites before and after death.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing disciplined dharmic rites around death, it supports remembrance and orderly transition, which traditionally culminate in God-centered practices (such as nāma-smaraṇa and offerings) even though bhakti is not explicitly named here.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is central—this verse points to technical rules for antyeṣṭi/śrāddha, including the determination of the proper ritual performer (kartṛ) and sequencing of mṛtyu-pūrva and post-mortem rites.