Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

संहितेयं महापुण्या शिवस्य परमात्मनः । नर्मदाचरितं यत्र वायुना परिकीर्तितम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

saṃhiteyaṃ mahāpuṇyā śivasya paramātmanaḥ | narmadācaritaṃ yatra vāyunā parikīrtitam || 16 ||

Translation

Esta Saṃhitā é supremamente meritória, pertencente a Śiva, o Ser Supremo; nela, Vāyu proclama amplamente o sagrado relato da Narmadā.

Word by Word

• संहिता: compilation/treatise
• संहिता: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: कर्ता (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महापुण्या: very holy
• महापुण्या: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् पुण्यम्)

• शिवस्य: of Shiva
• शिवस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नर्मदा-चरितम्: the story/deeds of Narmada
• नर्मदा-चरितम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नर्मदायाः चरितम्)

• यत्र: wherein
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb), देशवाचक (locative sense)

• वायुना: by Vayu
• वायुना: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• परिकीर्तितम्: was proclaimed/celebrated
• परिकीर्तितम्: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिकीर्तित (कृदन्त; √कीर्त्/√कृत्? here √कीर्त् (धातु) + परि + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), कर्मणि प्रयोगः

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework; cataloguing/praising a Saṃhitā)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Paramatman
• Narmada
• Vayu

FAQs

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

It elevates a specific Saṃhitā as highly purifying because it is associated with Śiva as Paramātman and contains an authoritative, expansive praise of the Narmadā—signaling the river’s status as a major tīrtha and a vehicle of puṇya.

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

Bhakti is implied through śravaṇa and kīrtana: hearing and celebrating the Narmadā’s glory as narrated by Vāyu, while recognizing Śiva as the Supreme Self, frames devotion as reverent listening to sacred māhātmyas and honoring the divine through tīrtha-smaraṇa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; its practical takeaway is Purāṇic anukramaṇikā-style cataloguing—identifying sources (Vāyu), topic (Narmadā-carita), and adhikāra (Śiva/Paramātman) for correct textual attribution and ritual reading context.