Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

The Narration of the Brāhma Purāṇa’s Account

Brāhma Purāṇānukramaṇikā

Devanagari script

पुराणाख्यानविज्ञाने यज्जाता नेष्ठिकी मतिः । तुभ्यं समभिधास्यामि यत्प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मणा पुरा ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

purāṇākhyānavijñāne yajjātā neṣṭhikī matiḥ | tubhyaṃ samabhidhāsyāmi yatproktaṃ brahmaṇā purā || 15 ||

Translation

Puisqu’en toi s’est éveillée une intelligence ferme et unifiée concernant la connaissance des récits purāniques, je vais maintenant t’exposer ce que Brahmā déclara jadis.

Word by Word

• पुराण-आख्यान-विज्ञाने: in the knowledge of Purāṇa narratives
• पुराण-आख्यान-विज्ञाने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + विज्ञाने (प्रातिपदिक: विज्ञान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पुराणाख्यानस्य विज्ञानम्)

• यत्: which
• यत्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• जाता: arisen
• जाता: क्रियाविशेषण/विशेषण (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘arisen/produced’

• नैष्ठिकी: steadfast
• नैष्ठिकी: विशेषण (Adjective of ‘मतिḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैष्ठिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘निष्ठा-सम्बन्धिनी’ (firm/steadfast)

• मतिः: understanding / intellect
• मतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/चतुर्थी-रूपे (Dative/4th sense here), एकवचन; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान)

• समभिधास्यामि: I shall explain / tell
• समभिधास्यामि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम् + अभि-

• यत्: that which
• यत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• प्रोक्तम्: spoken / taught
• प्रोक्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृकरणे (agent in passive sense)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: अधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: formerly)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narada

FAQs

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

It emphasizes guru-to-disciple transmission: when the seeker’s understanding becomes steady in Purāṇic wisdom, the teacher reveals the ancient, Brahmā-origin teaching, grounding Purāṇa study in an authoritative lineage.

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

Though Bhakti is not named here, the verse models the bhakti-sādhanā attitude of śraddhā and niṣṭhā (steadfastness). Such steady receptivity qualifies one to receive sacred narrations that commonly culminate in devotion to Bhagavān.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights the method of śāstra-pravacana (systematic exposition) and paramparā (lineage) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; it frames Purāṇic learning as disciplined, teacher-guided knowledge.