Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 151

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

कुशेशाख्यं लवेशाख्यं लिंगं सर्वोत्तमोत्तमम् । अष्टषष्टिसमाख्यानं दमयंत्यास्त्रिजातकम् ॥ १५१ ॥

Transliteration

kuśeśākhyaṃ laveśākhyaṃ liṃgaṃ sarvottamottamam | aṣṭaṣaṣṭisamākhyānaṃ damayaṃtyāstrijātakam || 151 ||

Translation

‘କୁଶେଶାଖ୍ୟ’ ଓ ‘ଲବେଶାଖ୍ୟ’; ସର୍ବୋତ୍ତମମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସର୍ବୋତ୍ତମ ସେ ଲିଙ୍ଗ; ‘ଅଷ୍ଟଷଷ୍ଟି’ ନାମକ ଆଖ୍ୟାନ; ଏବଂ ଦମୟନ୍ତୀଙ୍କ ତ୍ରିବିଧ ଜନ୍ମକଥା—(ଏହିମାନେ)।

Word by Word

• कुशेश-आख्यम्: named ‘Kuśeśa’
• कुशेश-आख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशेश + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः कुशेश-आख्य (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘named Kuśeśa’)

• लवेश-आख्यम्: named ‘Laveśa’
• लवेश-आख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लवेश + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः लवेश-आख्य (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘named Laveśa’)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem; Śiva-liṅga)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वोत्तम-उत्तमम्: supremely excellent
• सर्वोत्तम-उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + उत्तम + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः सर्वोत्तम (कर्मधारयः: ‘best of all’) + उत्तम (पुनरुक्त-विशेषण)

• अष्टषष्टि-समाख्यानम्: the narration called ‘Sixty-eight’
• अष्टषष्टि-समाख्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टषष्टि + समाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः अष्टषष्टि-समाख्यान (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुषः: ‘account titled Sixty-eight’)

• दमयन्त्याः: of Damayantī
• दमयन्त्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th, Genitive), एकवचन

• त्रिजातकम्: the ‘threefold birth’ (episode/text)
• त्रिजातकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + जातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः त्रि-जातक (द्विगु: ‘three births/threefold nativity’)

Speaker

Suta (Anukramanika-style narrator summarizing contents)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Damayanti

FAQs

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

It functions as an Anukramanika (catalog) verse, pointing seekers to multiple sacred topics—especially the supreme sanctity attributed to a Śiva-liṅga and the instructive narrative of Damayantī—so the reader knows what teachings and stories are included.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting revered objects and narratives (such as the supremely praised liṅga), it signals bhakti-oriented material—pilgrimage, worship, and remembrance—rather than giving a direct doctrinal instruction in this line.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this verse; it is primarily a structural index of narratives and sacred items, typical of Purāṇic summarization (saṅgraha/anukrama).