Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

महाकालसमुद्भूतिः कथा चास्य महाद्भुता । वासुदेवस्य माहात्म्यं कोटितीर्थं ततः परम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

mahākālasamudbhūtiḥ kathā cāsya mahādbhutā | vāsudevasya māhātmyaṃ koṭitīrthaṃ tataḥ param || 15 ||

Translation

त्यानंतर महाकाळाच्या उत्पत्तीची अत्यंत अद्भुत कथा येते; पुढे वासुदेवाचे माहात्म्य, आणि त्यानंतर परम पावन कोटितीर्थाचे वर्णन आहे।

Word by Word

• महाकालसमुद्भूतिः: the origin arising from Mahākāla
• महाकालसमुद्भूतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल-समुद्भूति (प्रातिपदिक; महाकाल + सम्√भू (धातु) + क्तिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Genitive Tatpurusha)

• कथा: story, account
• कथा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्य: of this, his
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (m./n.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाद्भुता: very wonderful
• महाद्भुता: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक; महा + अद्भुत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (intensifying: 'very wonderful')

• वासुदेवस्य: of Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कोटितीर्थम्: (the section called) Koṭitīrtha
• कोटितीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; कोटि + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('of a crore of tīrthas')

• ततः: thereafter, then
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb); क्रम/अनन्तरार्थे (thereafter)

• परम्: next, further, subsequent
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Anukramaṇikā-style enumeration of contents within the Narada Purana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Vāsudeva
• Koṭitīrtha

FAQs

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

It functions as an anukramaṇikā (table-of-contents) marker, highlighting a progression from a powerful sacred narrative (Mahākāla) to Viṣṇu-centered glory (Vāsudeva-māhātmya) and finally to tīrtha-māhātmya, showing how Purāṇic knowledge guides devotion and pilgrimage.

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

By explicitly foregrounding “Vāsudeva’s māhātmya,” it signals that the text’s core devotional orientation culminates in Viṣṇu-bhakti—hearing and remembering the Lord’s greatness as a primary Purāṇic practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; it is a structural outline that points to upcoming māhātmya and tīrtha sections, useful for organizing recitation, study, and pilgrimage planning.