Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

The Exposition of the Index (Anukramaṇī) of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata

Devanagari script

पुराणसंख्याकथनमाश्रये द्वादशो ह्ययम् । इत्येवं कथितं वत्स श्रीमद्भागवतं तव ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

purāṇasaṃkhyākathanamāśraye dvādaśo hyayam | ityevaṃ kathitaṃ vatsa śrīmadbhāgavataṃ tava || 21 ||

Translation

இப்போது புராணங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையைச் சொல்லும் பகுதியை எடுத்துக்கொள்கிறேன்—இதுவே பன்னிரண்டாம் பொருள்; இவ்வாறு, அன்புக் குழந்தையே, உனக்காக ஸ்ரீமத் பாகவதம் விளக்கப்பட்டது।

Word by Word

• पुराण: Purāṇa
• पुराण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — ‘Purāṇa’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• संख्या: number/enumeration
• संख्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — ‘number/enumeration’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• कथनम्: telling/statement
• कथनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (पुराण-संख्या-कथनम् = ‘statement of the number of Purāṇas’)

• आश्रये: I take refuge / I resort to
• आश्रये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आश्रि (धातु √श्रि, Tinganta)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present indicative, 1st person, Singular; पदम्: आत्मनेपद (आश्रये)

• द्वादशः: twelfth
• द्वादशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; द्विगु-समास (द्वा + दश)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निपात (emphatic particle)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘in this manner’)

• कथितम्: has been told
• कथितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथित (कृदन्त, √कथ् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; (अर्थः: ‘has been told’)

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्रीमद्भागवतम्: the Śrīmad Bhāgavata (Purāṇa)
• श्रीमद्भागवतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमत् + भागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; समासः: कर्मधारय (श्रीमत्-भागवतम् = ‘the glorious Bhāgavata’)

• तव: for you/of you
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Pronoun, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (addressing Nārada as vatsa, within the Kumāra–Nārada dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmad Bhāgavata

FAQs

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

It marks a structural milestone: after presenting key doctrinal topics, the text turns to the authoritative enumeration of Purāṇas and concludes the explanation of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata for the listener, reinforcing the Purāṇic tradition as a guided, teacher-to-student transmission.

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

By explicitly naming the Śrīmad Bhāgavata—widely regarded as a primary Bhakti scripture—the verse signals that Purāṇic summaries culminate in devotion-centered teaching, delivered personally to the seeker as practical spiritual instruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse is primarily an anukramaṇikā-style organizational cue (textual structuring and topic enumeration) rather than a direct Vedāṅga lesson; it reflects the Purāṇic method of systematic classification and indexing of sacred literature.