Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25
The Description of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa’s Table of Contents
Anukramaṇī
कल्पप्रलयनिर्देशः कालमानं ततः परम् । लोकाश्चतुर्द्दश ततः कथिताः प्राप्तलक्षणैः ॥ २५ ॥
kalpapralayanirdeśaḥ kālamānaṃ tataḥ param | lokāścaturddaśa tataḥ kathitāḥ prāptalakṣaṇaiḥ || 25 ||
Vient ensuite l’exposé des kalpas et des dissolutions (pralayas) ; puis l’on explique la mesure entière du temps. Alors sont décrits les quatorze mondes (lokas), avec leurs caractéristiques distinctives.
Suta (narrating the Narada Purana’s contents in an anukramanika-style summary, within the broader Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It frames cosmic time and world-structure (kalpa, pralaya, kāla-māna, and the fourteen lokas) as a teaching tool: seeing creation and dissolution as cyclical supports detachment (vairāgya) and a clearer orientation toward liberation.
Indirectly, it sets the backdrop for bhakti by showing the impermanence of cosmic arrangements—kalpas and pralayas come and go—encouraging the devotee to seek the eternal refuge (śaraṇāgati) of the Supreme rather than transient worlds.
The verse points to kāla-māna—technical time-reckoning used in Jyotiṣa (Vedic astronomy/astrology) for calendrics and ritual timing—supporting accurate scheduling of Narada Purana rituals, vratas, and observances.