Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

The Description of the Index (Anukramaṇikā) of the Padma Purāṇa

Devanagari script

अगस्त्याद्यागमश्चैव पौलस्त्यान्वयकीर्त्तनम् । अश्वमेधोपदेशश्च हयचर्या ततः परम् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

agastyādyāgamaścaiva paulastyānvayakīrttanam | aśvamedhopadeśaśca hayacaryā tataḥ param || 20 ||

Translation

ในคัมภีร์นี้กล่าวถึงสายธรรมอาคมที่เริ่มจากฤๅษีอคัสตยะ การสรรเสริญวงศ์ของปุลัสตยะ คำสอนเรื่องพิธีอัศวเมธ และต่อจากนั้นว่าด้วยวัตรปฏิบัติและจรรยาที่เกี่ยวกับม้า (หยะจรรยา)

Word by Word

• अगस्त्य-आदि-आगमः: the tradition/teaching beginning with Agastya
• अगस्त्य-आदि-आगमः: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्यवाचक सूची-शीर्ष)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—अगस्त्यादयः येषु ते (अगस्त्य-आदि) इति तत्पुरुषः, ततः ‘अगस्त्याद्यागमः’ = ‘अगस्त्यादीनां आगमः/परम्परा’

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• पौलस्त्य-अन्वय-कीर्तनम्: the narration of the lineage of Paulastya
• पौलस्त्य-अन्वय-कीर्तनम्: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्यवाचक सूची-आइटम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पौलस्त्यस्य अन्वयः’ + तत्पुरुषः: ‘अन्वयस्य कीर्तनम्’

• अश्वमेध-उपदेशः: instruction regarding the Aśvamedha sacrifice
• अश्वमेध-उपदेशः: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्यवाचक सूची-आइटम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अश्वमेधस्य उपदेशः’

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

• हय-चर्या: the regimen/practice concerning horses
• हय-चर्या: Karta (कर्ता/उद्देश्यवाचक सूची-आइटम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘हयस्य चर्या’

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Desha-Kala (देश-काल/temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक/ततः (adverb: ‘thereafter/then’)

• परम्: next; subsequent
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (as adjective) ‘(ततः) परम्’ = ‘next/after that’

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Narada Purana’s contents in an anukramanika-style overview)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Pulastya
• Ashvamedha

FAQs

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

This verse functions as a table-of-contents marker, showing that the text preserves both paramparā-based teachings (Agastya tradition) and dharma-oriented materials like genealogy and yajña-instructions, presenting dharma as a structured, transmitted body of knowledge.

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

Indirectly: by listing yajña and lineage narratives alongside āgama/paramparā teachings, it frames devotion as supported by orthodox dharma—right practice and right transmission—rather than as a purely emotion-based path.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application is foregrounded—Aśvamedha-upadeśa points to śrauta-yajña procedure (kalpa-oriented practice), and haya-caryā suggests practical discipline connected with the rite’s horse-related observances.