Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Anukramaṇī (Synoptic Table of Contents) of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa

Devanagari script

काश्या माहात्म्यमतुलं पुरुषोत्तमवर्णनम् । यात्राविधानं क्षेत्रस्य बह्वाख्यानसमन्वितम् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

kāśyā māhātmyamatulaṃ puruṣottamavarṇanam | yātrāvidhānaṃ kṣetrasya bahvākhyānasamanvitam || 13 ||

Translation

Il renferme la grandeur incomparable de Kāśī, la description de Puruṣottama (le Seigneur Suprême) et la règle prescrite du pèlerinage pour ce kṣetra sacré, accompagnées de nombreux récits d’appui.

Word by Word

• kāśyāḥ: of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• kāśyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• māhātmyam: the greatness (glory)
• māhātmyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• atulam: incomparable
• atulam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with māhātmyam

• puruṣottama-varṇanam: description of Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)
• puruṣottama-varṇanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣottama + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: puruṣottamasya varṇanam

• yātrā-vidhānam: procedure for pilgrimage
• yātrā-vidhānam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātrā + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: yātrāyāḥ vidhānam

• kṣetrasya: of the sacred field (holy place)
• kṣetrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bahu-ākhyāna-samanvitam: accompanied by many narratives
• bahu-ākhyāna-samanvitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu + ākhyāna + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः, but form is determinative: bahubhiḥ ākhyānaiḥ samanvitam; agrees with preceding neuter subjects collectively

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the contents in Anukramanika style, within the Narada Purana’s frame dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kashi (Varanasi)
• Purushottama (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

This verse functions as a content-marker: it highlights Kāśī’s unmatched sanctity, centers devotion on Puruṣottama (Viṣṇu as the Supreme Person), and frames pilgrimage as a disciplined spiritual practice supported by purāṇic narratives.

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

By explicitly foregrounding “Puruṣottama-varṇanam,” it indicates that tīrtha-travel and sacred geography are meant to culminate in remembrance, praise, and devotion to the Supreme Lord rather than mere tourism or merit-seeking.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to yātrā-vidhāna (pilgrimage procedure), which aligns with applied ritual discipline (kalpa/prayoga in practice), though it does not directly teach a specific Vedāṅga like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa in this line.