Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Anukramaṇī (Synoptic Table of Contents) of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa

Devanagari script

काश्या माहात्म्यमतुलं पुरुषोत्तमवर्णनम् । यात्राविधानं क्षेत्रस्य बह्वाख्यानसमन्वितम् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

kāśyā māhātmyamatulaṃ puruṣottamavarṇanam | yātrāvidhānaṃ kṣetrasya bahvākhyānasamanvitam || 13 ||

Translation

ഇതിൽ കാശിയുടെ അതുല മഹാത്മ്യം, പുരുഷോത്തമ ഭഗവാന്റെ വർണ്ണനം, ആ പുണ്യക്ഷേത്രത്തിന്റെ യാത്രാവിധാനം—അനവധി ഉപാഖ്യാനങ്ങളോടുകൂടി—പ്രതിപാദിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• kāśyāḥ: of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• kāśyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• māhātmyam: the greatness (glory)
• māhātmyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• atulam: incomparable
• atulam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with māhātmyam

• puruṣottama-varṇanam: description of Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)
• puruṣottama-varṇanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣottama + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: puruṣottamasya varṇanam

• yātrā-vidhānam: procedure for pilgrimage
• yātrā-vidhānam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātrā + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: yātrāyāḥ vidhānam

• kṣetrasya: of the sacred field (holy place)
• kṣetrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bahu-ākhyāna-samanvitam: accompanied by many narratives
• bahu-ākhyāna-samanvitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu + ākhyāna + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः, but form is determinative: bahubhiḥ ākhyānaiḥ samanvitam; agrees with preceding neuter subjects collectively

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the contents in Anukramanika style, within the Narada Purana’s frame dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kashi (Varanasi)
• Purushottama (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

This verse functions as a content-marker: it highlights Kāśī’s unmatched sanctity, centers devotion on Puruṣottama (Viṣṇu as the Supreme Person), and frames pilgrimage as a disciplined spiritual practice supported by purāṇic narratives.

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

By explicitly foregrounding “Puruṣottama-varṇanam,” it indicates that tīrtha-travel and sacred geography are meant to culminate in remembrance, praise, and devotion to the Supreme Lord rather than mere tourism or merit-seeking.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to yātrā-vidhāna (pilgrimage procedure), which aligns with applied ritual discipline (kalpa/prayoga in practice), though it does not directly teach a specific Vedāṅga like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa in this line.