Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 182

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

अजापालेशबालार्ककुबेरस्थलजा कथा । ऋषितोया कथा पुण्या संगालेश्वरकीर्तनम् ॥ १८२ ॥

Transliteration

ajāpāleśabālārkakuberasthalajā kathā | ṛṣitoyā kathā puṇyā saṃgāleśvarakīrtanam || 182 ||

Translation

അജാപാലേശൻ, ബാലാർക, കുബേരസ്ഥലം എന്നിവയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട പുണ്യകഥകൾ; ഋഷിതോയയുടെ പവിത്ര ആഖ്യാനം; കൂടാതെ സംഗാലേശ്വരന്റെ പുണ്യകീർത്തനവും വിവരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अजापालेश-बालार्क-कुबेरस्थलजा: arising from/connected with Ajāpāleśa, Bālārka, and Kuberasthala
• अजापालेश-बालार्क-कुबेरस्थलजा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजापालेश (प्रातिपदिक) + बालार्क (प्रातिपदिक) + कुबेरस्थल (प्रातिपदिक) + जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—कथायाः; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (…स्थलात् जाता)

• कथा: account/story
• कथा: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा-विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ऋषितोया: (the) Ṛṣitoyā (named)
• ऋषितोया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋषितोया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—कथायाः (नामविशेषणरूपेण)

• कथा: account/story
• कथा: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा-विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पुण्या: holy/meritorious
• पुण्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—कथायाः

• संगालेश्वर-कीर्तनम्: the praise/recitation of Saṃgāleśvara
• संगालेश्वर-कीर्तनम्: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा-विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगालेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संगालेश्वरस्य कीर्तनम्)

Speaker

Suta (continuing the Anukramanika-style enumeration as taught in the Narada Purana tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ajāpāleśa
• Bālārka
• Kuberasthala
• Ṛṣitoyā
• Saṅgāleśvara

FAQs

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

It functions as an index-verse (anukramaṇikā) pointing to multiple puṇya-kathās and tīrtha/kshetra-mahātmyas, emphasizing that hearing and reciting such accounts is itself spiritually meritorious.

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

By highlighting kīrtana (glorification/recitation) and kathā-śravaṇa (hearing sacred narratives), it aligns with bhakti practices where remembrance and praise of holy places and deities purify the mind and strengthen devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; rather, it catalogues tīrtha-kathās—useful for ritual planning (yātrā, vrata, and kṣetra-darśana) and for structuring recitation traditions.