Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

The Anukramaṇī (Summary/Index) of the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa

Devanagari script

ययातिचरितं पुण्यं यदुवंशानुकीर्त्तनम् । श्रीकृष्णबालचरितं माथुरं चरितं ततः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

yayāticaritaṃ puṇyaṃ yaduvaṃśānukīrttanam | śrīkṛṣṇabālacaritaṃ māthuraṃ caritaṃ tataḥ || 14 ||

Translation

Vient ensuite le récit méritoire de Yayāti, l’évocation de la lignée des Yadu, le récit des jeux divins de l’enfance de Śrī Kṛṣṇa, puis l’histoire liée à Māthurā (Mathurā).

Word by Word

• ययातिचरितम्: the story of Yayāti
• ययातिचरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति + चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; Tatpuruṣa: ययातेः चरितम्

• पुण्यम्: holy
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'चरितम्'

• यदुवंशानुकीर्तनम्: recital of the Yadu dynasty
• यदुवंशानुकीर्तनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदुवंश + अनुकीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; Tatpuruṣa: यदुवंशस्य अनुकीर्तनम्

• श्रीकृष्णबालचरितम्: Śrī Kṛṣṇa's childhood deeds
• श्रीकृष्णबालचरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकृष्ण + बाल + चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: श्रीकृष्णस्य बालचरितम्

• माथुरम्: of Mathurā/Mathurā-related
• माथुरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माथुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'चरितम्'

• चरितम्: story/deeds
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Narada (describing the contents in the Anukramanika section, in dialogue context with Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Yayati
• Yadu dynasty (Yaduvamsha)
• Sri Krishna
• Mathura (Māthura)

FAQs

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

It functions as an anukramaṇikā (table-of-contents style) verse, asserting that remembering and reciting sacred dynastic and divine narratives—Yayāti’s story, the Yadu lineage, and Kṛṣṇa’s early līlās—has puṇya (spiritual merit) and supports devotion-oriented remembrance (smaraṇa).

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

By highlighting Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s bāla-carita and the Yadu-vaṃśa narration as worthy of recitation, it points to bhakti practices like śravaṇa and kīrtana—hearing and chanting the Lord’s līlā and His devotees’ lineages as a means to deepen Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; rather, it reflects Purāṇic anukramaṇikā organization—systematically cataloguing narratives (vamsa/charita) for structured study and recitation.