Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

The Exposition of the Table of Contents of the Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa

Devanagari script

रथंतरस्य कल्पस्य वृत्तांतं यन्मयोदितम् । शतकोटिपुराणे तत्संक्षिप्य प्राह वेदवित् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

rathaṃtarasya kalpasya vṛttāṃtaṃ yanmayoditam | śatakoṭipurāṇe tatsaṃkṣipya prāha vedavit || 4 ||

Translation

เรื่องราวแห่งรถันตระกัลป์ที่เรากล่าวไว้แล้วนั้น ฤๅษีผู้รู้พระเวทได้ย่อความและบรรยายไว้ใน ‘ศตโกฏิปุราณะ’ ॥ ๔ ॥

Word by Word

• रथंतरस्य: of (the) Rathantara
• रथंतरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथंतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• कल्पस्य: of the kalpa
• कल्पस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• वृत्तान्तम्: account/narrative
• वृत्तान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्तान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (relative pronoun referring to vṛttāntam)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by me)

• उदितम्: spoken/declared
• उदितम्: Karma (कर्म/वर्णितवस्तु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-सम्बद्ध विशेषण (spoken/said)

• शत-कोटि-पुराणे: in the Śata-koṭi Purāṇa
• शत-कोटि-पुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + कोटि + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative: in the Śata-koṭi Purāṇa)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म (referring to the account)

• संक्षिप्य: having summarized
• संक्षिप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप (gerund/त्वान्त); अव्यय; पूर्वकाल क्रिया (having summarized)

• प्राह: said/told
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• वेद-वित्: the knower of the Veda
• वेद-वित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता; (वेदं वेत्ति इति)

Speaker

Narada (narrating in an anukramanika/synopsis frame; traditional dialogue context with Sanatkumara lineage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rathantara Kalpa
• Śata-koṭi Purāṇa
• Veda-vit (Vedic knower)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes scriptural continuity: Kalpa narratives are preserved through authorized Vedic transmitters, and vast revelations are responsibly condensed for seekers.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti by grounding devotion in reliable śāstra: the Purāṇic accounts that nourish devotion are presented through Veda-validated tradition and careful summarization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights śāstra-pramāṇa and textual transmission—how a Veda-knower compiles and abridges large bodies of Purāṇic material—rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Jyotiṣa or Vyākaraṇa.