Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 67

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

प्रणवैश्वर्यकथनं तारकाचरितं पुनः । दक्षयज्ञसमाप्तिश्च द्वादशाक्षरभूषणम् ॥ ६७ ॥

Transliteration

praṇavaiśvaryakathanaṃ tārakācaritaṃ punaḥ | dakṣayajñasamāptiśca dvādaśākṣarabhūṣaṇam || 67 ||

Translation

ഇവിടെ പ്രണവം (ഓം) എന്നതിന്റേ മഹിമയും പരമാധികാരവും, വീണ്ടും താരകചരിതവും, ദക്ഷയജ്ഞത്തിന്റെ സമാപ്തിയും, ദ്വാദശാക്ഷരമന്ത്രത്തെ ഭക്തിയുടെ ഭൂഷണമെന്നു പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നതും പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• प्रणवैश्वर्यकथनम्: description of the glory of Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवैश्वर्यकथनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव-ऐश्वर्य-कथन (प्रातिपदिक; प्रणव + ऐश्वर्य + कथन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Nom/Acc singular; तत्पुरुषसमासः (प्रणवस्य ऐश्वर्यस्य कथनम्)

• तारकाचरितम्: story/deeds of Tāraka
• तारकाचरितम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक-चरित (प्रातिपदिक; तारक + चरित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Nom/Acc singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तारकस्य चरितम्)

• पुनः: again; further
• पुनः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/क्रमवाचक — adverb (again/further)

• दक्षयज्ञसमाप्तिः: conclusion of Dakṣa’s sacrifice
• दक्षयज्ञसमाप्तिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष-यज्ञ-समाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; दक्ष + यज्ञ + समाप्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular; तत्पुरुषसमासः (दक्षस्य यज्ञस्य समाप्तिः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय — conjunction

• द्वादशाक्षरभूषणम्: the ornament/adornment of the twelve-syllabled (mantra)
• द्वादशाक्षरभूषणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश-अक्षर-भूषण (प्रातिपदिक; द्वादश + अक्षर + भूषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Nom/Acc singular; द्विगु-पूर्वक तत्पुरुषः (द्वादश अक्षराणि यस्य/द्वादशाक्षरं तस्य भूषणम्)

Speaker

Suta (chapter-summary/anukramanika style narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Pranava (Om)
• Taraka
• Daksha
• Dvadasakshara Mantra

FAQs

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

This verse functions as an anukramaṇikā (topic-index): it signals that the chapter/section includes teachings on Oṁ (Praṇava), a purāṇic episode (Tāraka), the conclusion of Dakṣa’s yajña, and the devotional power of the twelve-syllabled mantra—framing mantra and purāṇic narrative as complementary paths to dharma and bhakti.

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

By highlighting the “dvādaśākṣara” as a “bhūṣaṇa” (ornament), it implies that sustained japa and remembrance through a core Vaiṣṇava mantra beautifies and strengthens devotion, while the surrounding narratives (Praṇava’s greatness and yajña episodes) provide faith and context for practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to mantra-prayoga within ritual culture: understanding Praṇava and a fixed-syllable mantra relates to Śikṣā (correct recitation/phonetics) and Kalpa (ritual procedure), especially in the context of yajña and devotional japa.