Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

सोमार्का दीनि तीर्थानि त्रयोदश ततः परम् । गयाकूपस्य माहात्म्यं सर्वाघविनिवर्तकम् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

somārkā dīni tīrthāni trayodaśa tataḥ param | gayākūpasya māhātmyaṃ sarvāghavinivartakam || 46 ||

Translation

ต่อจากนั้นมีทีรถะสิบสามแห่งเริ่มด้วยโสมารกะ; แล้วจึงกล่าวถึงมหิมาแห่งคยากูปะ ซึ่งขจัดบาปทั้งปวง

Word by Word

• सोमार्काणि: (the) Soma and Arka (tīrthas)
• सोमार्काणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (सोमश्च अर्कश्च) — ‘तीर्थानि’ इति सह विशेष्यत्वात् प्रथमा बहुवचन

• इमानि: these
• इमानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘तीर्थानि’ इति विशेषणम्

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• त्रयोदश: thirteen
• त्रयोदश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषणम् (thirteen)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (thereafter)

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः (adverbial accusative) ‘further/next’

• गयाकूपस्य: of the Gayā-well
• गयाकूपस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गयायाः कूपः)

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness (account)
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्ये विषय/कर्मरूपेण

• सर्वाघ-विनिवर्तकम्: removing all sins
• सर्वाघ-विनिवर्तकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अघ + विनिवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वाणि अघानि विनिवर्तयति इति) — ‘माहात्म्यम्’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Narada (cataloguing topics to Sanatkumara in an anukramanika summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Somārka
• Gayā
• Gayākūpa

FAQs

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

It signals that pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) and listening to tīrtha-māhātmya are recognized as purifying practices, highlighting Gayākūpa at Gayā as especially capable of removing accumulated sin (aghāni).

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

By emphasizing sacred places and their māhātmya, the verse supports bhakti through śravaṇa (hearing) and smaraṇa (recollection) of holy kṣetras—practices that orient the mind toward the divine and dharma, even when the verse itself is not explicitly doctrinal about bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily kalpa-style practical dharma (ritual/pilgrimage procedure and its fruits) is implied through the tīrtha enumeration and the prayāścitta-like claim of sin-removal, rather than technical topics like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa.