Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

दलाग्रेष्वष्टपीठानि कामरूपाख्यमादिमम् । मलयं कोल्लगिर्य्याख्यं चौहाराख्यं कुलांतकम् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

dalāgreṣvaṣṭapīṭhāni kāmarūpākhyamādimam | malayaṃ kollagiryyākhyaṃ cauhārākhyaṃ kulāṃtakam || 29 ||

Translation

Pada ujung-ujung kelopak terdapat delapan pīṭha suci: pertama bernama Kāmarūpa; kemudian Malaya; lalu Kolla-giri; Cauhāra; dan Kulāntaka.

Word by Word

• dala-agreṣu: on the petal-tips
• dala-agreṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dala (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘at the tips of petals’

• aṣṭa-pīṭhāni: the eight pīṭhas
• aṣṭa-pīṭhāni: Karta (कर्ता) / Topic (उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—द्विगु ‘eight seats/peethas’

• kāmarūpa-ākhyam: called Kāmarūpa
• kāmarūpa-ākhyam: Visheshana (विशेषण) of ‘ādimam’/of an implied pīṭha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāmarūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (आख्या-धातु/प्रातिपदिक; ‘named’)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘named Kāmarūpa’

• ādimam: the first/prime
• ādimam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• malayam: Malaya
• malayam: Karma (कर्म) (as named item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: malaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); पाद-समाहार/सूची-रूपेण (as item in list)

• kollagiri-ākhyam: called Kollagiri
• kollagiri-ākhyam: Visheshana (विशेषण) (of an implied pīṭha)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kollagiri (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘named Kollagiri’

• cauhāra-ākhyam: called Cauhāra
• cauhāra-ākhyam: Visheshana (विशेषण) (of an implied pīṭha)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cauhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘named Cauhāra’

• kulāntakam: Kulāntaka
• kulāntakam: Karma (कर्म) (as named item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kulāntaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); नाम (proper name)

Speaker

Narada (continuing a catalog-style instruction within the Vedanga/technical section, traditionally framed in dialogue with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kamarupa
• Malaya
• Kollagiri
• Cauhara
• Kulantaka

FAQs

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

It sacralizes geography by naming specific pīṭhas as power-centers placed on the “petal-tips,” a symbolic mapping that treats pilgrimage-sites as limbs of a sacred cosmic diagram.

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

By directing attention to established pīṭhas, it supports bhakti through pilgrimage, remembrance, and reverence for sanctified locations where worship and vows are traditionally performed.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical, cataloging approach akin to auxiliary knowledge traditions—systematizing sacred places (kṣetra/pīṭha) for ritual orientation, recitation, and pilgrimage planning.