Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

The Description of the Glory of the Purāṇa

Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

उपाख्यानं वेदसमं सर्वशास्त्रनिदर्शनम् । चतुष्पादसमायुक्तं श्रृण्वतां ज्ञानवर्द्धनम् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

upākhyānaṃ vedasamaṃ sarvaśāstranidarśanam | catuṣpādasamāyuktaṃ śrṛṇvatāṃ jñānavarddhanam || 26 ||

Translation

Ce récit sacré est l’égal des Veda, un compendium qui manifeste l’essence de tous les śāstra ; achevé en ses quatre parties, il accroît la connaissance de ceux qui l’écoutent.

Word by Word

• उपाख्यानम्: narrative / episode
• उपाख्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेद-समम्: equal to the Veda
• वेद-समम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (वेदेन समम्)

• सर्व-शास्त्र-निदर्शनम्: illustrative of all śāstras
• सर्व-शास्त्र-निदर्शनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + निदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वशास्त्राणां निदर्शनम्)

• चतुष्पाद-समायुक्तम्: endowed with four quarters/parts
• चतुष्पाद-समायुक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुष्पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + समायुक्त (कृदन्त; सम्-आ-√युज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; ‘चतुष्पादैः समायुक्तम्’

• शृण्वताम्: of the listeners
• शृण्वताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle) ‘शृण्वत्’; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those who listen’

• ज्ञान-वर्द्धनम्: increasing knowledge
• ज्ञान-वर्द्धनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानस्य वर्द्धनम्)

Speaker

Narada (in an anukramanika/praise context within Book 1.4)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It declares that attentive listening to the Purāṇic narrative is itself a knowledge-producing spiritual practice, because the Purāṇa functions as a Veda-like vehicle that conveys the essence of many śāstras.

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

By praising śravaṇa (hearing) as a means of inner growth, it supports a core bhakti method: receiving sacred teaching through listening, which ripens understanding and devotion through repeated exposure to dharmic narratives.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Rather than a single Vedāṅga, the verse emphasizes sarva-śāstra coverage—suggesting the Purāṇa serves as an accessible synthesis that can guide practical dharma, ritual understanding, and scriptural interpretation through structured teaching.