Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

The Anukramaṇikā (Contents-Outline) of the Vāmana Purāṇa

Devanagari script

माहेश्वर्यां तु कृष्णस्य तद्भक्तानां च कीर्तनम् । भागवत्यां जगन्मातुखतारकथाद्भुता ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

māheśvaryāṃ tu kṛṣṇasya tadbhaktānāṃ ca kīrtanam | bhāgavatyāṃ jaganmātukhatārakathādbhutā || 15 ||

Translation

മാഹേശ്വരിയിൽ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണന്റെയും അവന്റെ ഭക്തന്മാരുടെയും കീർത്തനം ഉണ്ട്; ഭാഗവതിയിൽ ജഗന്മാതാവ് ഖാടയെ ‘താരക’യായി രക്ഷിച്ച അത്ഭുതകഥയുണ്ട്।

Word by Word

• माहेश्वर्याम्: in the Māheśvarī (Saṃhitā)
• माहेश्वर्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.)

• तु: indeed, and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधसूचक-निपात (but/indeed)

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• तद्: his/that
• तद्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, प्रातिपदिक — compound member; 'his/that'

• भक्तानाम्: of devotees
• भक्तानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (Gen. pl.)

• तद्भक्तानाम्: of his devotees
• तद्भक्तानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'devotees of him (Kṛṣṇa)'; षष्ठी बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• कीर्तनम्: glorification, chanting
• कीर्तनम्: Karma (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक; √कीर्त् (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• भागवत्याम्: in the Bhāgavatī (Saṃhitā)
• भागवत्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.)

• जगत्: world, universe
• जगत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — compound member

• मातुः: of the mother
• मातुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• जगन्मातुः: of the Mother of the Universe
• जगन्मातुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'mother of the world'; षष्ठी एकवचन

• खता: Khata (as read)
• खता: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — compound member (as transmitted; likely a proper/technical element)

• तार: deliverer, savior
• तार: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — compound member; 'savior/crossing' sense

• कथा: story, account
• कथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — compound member

• अद्भुता: marvelous
• अद्भुता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (marvelous)

• खतारकथाद्भुता: the marvelous tale (as read: khatā-tāra story)
• खतारकथाद्भुता: Karma (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खता (प्रातिपदिक) + तार (प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक) + अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-संकर (as transmitted): 'marvelous story of (khata-)tāra'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन (qualifying an implied 'कथा')

Speaker

Sage Nārada (cataloguing/summary narration, Anukramaṇikā style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Bhakta (devotees)
• Jaganmātā (Devī)
• Māheśvarī (Purāṇa/section)
• Bhāgavatī (Purāṇa/section)

FAQs

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

It functions as an Anukramaṇikā (index-like summary), pointing seekers to specific Purāṇas where devotion is cultivated—through Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana and through transformative Devī narratives that portray divine grace as a saving power (tāraka).

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

By highlighting kīrtana—glorification of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees—as a core bhakti practice, implying that remembrance, praise, and hearing sacred narratives are direct means for spiritual upliftment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, etc.) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is Purāṇic hermeneutics—using content summaries to locate teachings (kīrtana, devī-kathā) within the wider Purāṇa corpus.