Shloka 90

Kāṣṭhīla-Upākhyāna: Rākṣasī, Spear-Śakti, and Kāśī as Śakti-kṣetra

Devanagari script

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे मोहिनीचरिते काष्ठीलोपाख्यानं नामाष्टाविंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

iti śrībṛhannāradīyapurāṇottarabhāge mohinīcarite kāṣṭhīlopākhyānaṃ nāmāṣṭāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 28 ||

Translation

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणस्योत्तरभागे मोहिनीचरिते ‘काष्ठीलोपाख्यानं’ नामाष्टाविंशोऽध्यायः समाप्तः ॥

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotation/closure particle

• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇa-uttara-bhāge: in the Uttara-section of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa
• śrī-bṛhat-nāradīya-purāṇa-uttara-bhāge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक) + nāradīya (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (title/section): 'श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणस्य उत्तरभागे'; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• mohinī-carite: in the Mohinī-episode
• mohinī-carite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक) + carita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'मोहिन्याः चरितम्'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• kāṣṭhīla-upākhyānam: the Kāṣṭhīla sub-narrative
• kāṣṭhīla-upākhyānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣṭhīla (प्रातिपदिक) + upākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'काष्ठीलस्य उपाख्यानम्'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• nāma: named
• nāma: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय (indeclinable usage) = 'named/called'

• aṣṭāviṃśaḥ: twenty-eighth
• aṣṭāviṃśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭāviṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral): 'अष्टौ च विंशतिः' → 28; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अध्यायः इति विशेषण

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (colophon/end-of-chapter marker in the Purāṇic narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa
• Mohinī
• Kāṣṭhīla

FAQs

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

This is a colophon verse marking the completion of Adhyāya 28, preserving the textual lineage and helping devotees and reciters keep the Purāṇic narration correctly organized.

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

It does not teach bhakti directly; rather, it frames the Mohinī-carita and Kāṣṭhīla episode as a coherent unit for listening (śravaṇa) and recitation—core devotional practices in Purāṇic tradition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects an anukramaṇikā-style organizational practice—chapter naming and numbering—useful for accurate pāṭha (recitation) and manuscript cataloging, though it does not present a specific Vedāṅga doctrine.