Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

The Outline (Anukramaṇī) of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa

Devanagari script

सूर्यवंशकथ पुण्या सोमवंशाऽनुकीर्तनम् । चतुर्थेंऽशेमुनिश्रेष्ठ नानाराजकथान्वितम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

sūryavaṃśakatha puṇyā somavaṃśā'nukīrtanam | caturtheṃ'śemuniśreṣṭha nānārājakathānvitam || 11 ||

Translation

Dans la quatrième section, ô meilleur des sages, se trouve le récit méritoire de la dynastie solaire et la récitation de la dynastie lunaire, enrichies des histoires de nombreux rois.

Word by Word

• सूर्यवंशकथा: the account of the Solar dynasty
• सूर्यवंशकथा: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य-वंश-कथा (प्रातिपदिक; सूर्य + वंश + कथा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यवंशस्य कथा)

• पुण्या: holy/meritorious
• पुण्या: विशेषण (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of कथा)

• सोमवंश: of the Lunar dynasty
• सोमवंश: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम-वंश (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + वंश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सोमस्य वंशः)

• अनुकीर्तनम्: the recounting
• अनुकीर्तनम्: कर्म (कर्म/Predicate content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु-√कीर्त् (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक संज्ञा (verbal noun: 'recitation/description')

• चतुर्थे: in the fourth
• चतुर्थे: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• अंशे: section/part
• अंशे: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; मुनि + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रेष्ठः मुनिः)

• नानाराजकथान्वितम्: accompanied by many royal stories
• नानाराजकथान्वितम्: विशेषण (विशेषण/Qualifier of अनुकीर्तनम्/अंशः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना-राज-कथा-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; नाना + राज + कथा + अन्वित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपदसमासार्थः (कथाभिः अन्वितम् = endowed with stories)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Suryavamsha
• Somavamsha

FAQs

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

It highlights that remembering sacred royal lineages—Suryavaṃśa and Somavaṃśa—functions as puṇya (merit), because these narratives preserve dharma through exemplary kings and their conduct.

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

Indirectly: by recommending anukīrtana (devotional-style “recounting”) of sacred histories, it supports śravaṇa and kīrtana—hearing and repeating purāṇic narratives that traditionally culminate in devotion to Bhagavān.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga is taught in this verse; it instead points to purāṇic anukrama (structured summary) and vaṃśa/itihāsa-style organization used to transmit dharma through genealogies and kingly exemplars.