Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 168

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

इत्येषनागरः खंडः प्रभासाख्योऽधुनोच्यते । सोमेशो यत्र विश्वेशोऽर्कस्थलं पुण्यदं महत् ॥ १६८ ॥

Transliteration

ityeṣanāgaraḥ khaṃḍaḥ prabhāsākhyo'dhunocyate | someśo yatra viśveśo'rkasthalaṃ puṇyadaṃ mahat || 168 ||

Translation

ดังนี้ ‘นาคารขันฑ์’ จบลง; บัดนี้จะพรรณนาขันฑ์ที่ชื่อ ‘ประภาส’—ที่ซึ่งมีโสมेश วิศ्वेश และอรกสถาน อันเป็นสถานศักดิ์สิทธิ์ใหญ่ให้บุญยิ่ง

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• एष: this
• एष: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• नागरः: Nāgara (named/pertaining to Nāgara)
• नागरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषण

• खण्डः: section/chapter
• खण्डः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• प्रभासाख्यः: called Prabhāsa
• प्रभासाख्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभास-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषण—आख्य = नाम्ना (called)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• उच्यते: is said/declared
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Present Indicative, 3rd sg; passive)

• सोमेशः: Someśa (Lord of Soma; Śiva)
• सोमेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); देवतानाम

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• विश्वेशः: Viśveśa (Lord of the universe; Śiva)
• विश्वेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); देवतानाम

• अर्कस्थलम्: Arkasthala (the place called Arka-sthala)
• अर्कस्थलम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क-स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• पुण्यदम्: bestowing merit
• पुण्यदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य-द (प्रातिपदिक) < दा (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); विशेषण

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana’s contents in summary/anukrama form)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Prabhasa
• Somesha
• Vishvesha
• Arkasthala

FAQs

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

It functions as a transition in the text’s summary, announcing the move from the Nāgara section to the Prabhāsa section and highlighting Prabhāsa as a highly meritorious pilgrimage-region marked by renowned sacred sites.

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

Bhakti is implied through tīrtha-smaraṇa and tīrtha-yātrā: remembering and visiting sanctified places associated with Īśvara (Someśa, Viśveśa) is presented as a dharmic act that yields puṇya and supports a devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; it is primarily an anukrama-style cataloging of tīrthas, useful for organizing pilgrimage knowledge and ritual planning.