Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

The Exposition of the Table of Contents of the Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa

Devanagari script

व्यासश्चतुर्द्धा संव्यस्य ब्रह्मवैवर्तसंज्ञिते । अष्टादशसहस्रं तत्पुराणं परिकीर्तितम् ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

vyāsaścaturddhā saṃvyasya brahmavaivartasaṃjñite | aṣṭādaśasahasraṃ tatpurāṇaṃ parikīrtitam || 5 ||

Translation

వ్యాసుడు దీనిని నాలుగు భాగాలుగా విభజించి ‘బ్రహ్మవైవర్త’ అనే పురాణంగా ప్రతిపాదించాడు; ఇది అష్టాదశ సహస్ర శ్లోకాలతో కూడినదని ప్రకటించబడింది.

Word by Word

• vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa
• vyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• caturdhā: fourfold
• caturdhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: caturdhā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner: ‘in four ways/into four parts’)

• saṃvyasya: having divided/arranged
• saṃvyasya: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√vyas (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having arranged/divided’

• brahmavaivartasaṃjñite: in (that) named ‘Brahmavaivarta’
• brahmavaivartasaṃjñite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahma + vaivarta + saṃjñita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘(in the Purāṇa) called Brahmavaivarta’

• aṣṭādaśa-sahasram: eighteen thousand (verses)
• aṣṭādaśa-sahasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭādaśa + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-द्विगु—‘eighteen thousand’

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देशक—‘that’

• purāṇam: Purāṇa
• purāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• parikīrtitam: is proclaimed/declared
• parikīrtitam: Kriyā (क्रिया; कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√kīrt (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘is proclaimed/has been declared’

Speaker

Suta (narrator) reporting the Purāṇic catalogue in Anukramanika style

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Brahmavaivarta Purana

FAQs

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

It frames Purāṇic knowledge as a deliberately organized śāstra: Vyāsa systematizes revelation into structured sections, emphasizing reliable transmission and canonical measure (the stated verse-count).

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

Indirectly: by identifying and validating a Purāṇa (Brahmavaivarta) as a recognized source, it points devotees to authorized narratives and teachings through which bhakti is cultivated.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Textual organization and enumeration: the verse highlights śāstra-krama (systematic arrangement) and śloka-saṅkhyā (verse-count), useful for cataloguing, recitation planning, and manuscript/archival classification.