Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

The Description of the Index (Anukramaṇikā) of the Padma Purāṇa

Devanagari script

पुष्करस्य च माहात्म्यं विस्तरेण प्रकीर्तितम् । ब्रह्मयज्ञविधानं च वेदपाठादिलक्षणम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

puṣkarasya ca māhātmyaṃ vistareṇa prakīrtitam | brahmayajñavidhānaṃ ca vedapāṭhādilakṣaṇam || 4 ||

Translation

La grandeur de Puṣkara y est aussi proclamée en détail ; de même que la règle rituelle du Brahma-yajña, avec les traits distinctifs de la récitation védique et des observances qui s’y rattachent.

Word by Word

• puṣkarasya: of Puṣkara
• puṣkarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• māhātmyam: the greatness; sacred glory
• māhātmyam: Karma (कर्म/object—of prakīrtitam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• vistareṇa: in detail
• vistareṇa: Karana (करण/instrumental—manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; प्रकारवाचक (manner)

• prakīrtitam: is proclaimed/described
• prakīrtitam: Kriya (क्रिया—participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kīrt (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘प्रशंसितम्/वर्णितम्’

• brahma-yajña-vidhānam: the ordinance of the Brahma-yajña
• brahma-yajña-vidhānam: Karma (कर्म/object—elliptically ‘(prakīrtitam)’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—ब्रह्मयज्ञविधान (तत्पुरुषः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• veda-pāṭha-ādi-lakṣaṇam: the characteristics such as Vedic recitation
• veda-pāṭha-ādi-lakṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म/object—elliptically ‘(prakīrtitam)’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—वेदपाठादिलक्षण (तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the chapter’s contents in an anukramanika/summary mode)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pushkara
• Brahma-yajna
• Veda

FAQs

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

It signals that the text treats both pilgrimage-sacrality (Puṣkara’s māhātmya) and daily spiritual discipline (Brahma-yajña as Vedic study), presenting dharma as a blend of sacred place and sacred practice.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing disciplined Vedic recitation and prescribed rites, it frames devotion as sustained worship through study and observance, not only through emotion—supporting a bhakti grounded in daily yajña-like practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to “veda-pāṭha-lakṣaṇa”—the proper markers of Vedic recitation (intonation/recitation discipline), aligning with Śikṣā (phonetics) and related technical standards used to preserve correct chanting and study.