Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

The Exposition of the Index (Anukramaṇī) of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata

Devanagari script

पुराणसंख्याकथनमाश्रये द्वादशो ह्ययम् । इत्येवं कथितं वत्स श्रीमद्भागवतं तव ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

purāṇasaṃkhyākathanamāśraye dvādaśo hyayam | ityevaṃ kathitaṃ vatsa śrīmadbhāgavataṃ tava || 21 ||

Translation

Nay ta bắt đầu trình bày việc liệt kê số lượng các Purāṇa—đó là đề mục thứ mười hai. Vì thế, hỡi con yêu, Śrīmad Bhāgavata của con đã được giảng giải theo cách ấy.

Word by Word

• पुराण: Purāṇa
• पुराण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — ‘Purāṇa’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• संख्या: number/enumeration
• संख्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक — ‘number/enumeration’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• कथनम्: telling/statement
• कथनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (पुराण-संख्या-कथनम् = ‘statement of the number of Purāṇas’)

• आश्रये: I take refuge / I resort to
• आश्रये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आश्रि (धातु √श्रि, Tinganta)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present indicative, 1st person, Singular; पदम्: आत्मनेपद (आश्रये)

• द्वादशः: twelfth
• द्वादशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; द्विगु-समास (द्वा + दश)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निपात (emphatic particle)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘in this manner’)

• कथितम्: has been told
• कथितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथित (कृदन्त, √कथ् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; (अर्थः: ‘has been told’)

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्रीमद्भागवतम्: the Śrīmad Bhāgavata (Purāṇa)
• श्रीमद्भागवतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमत् + भागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; समासः: कर्मधारय (श्रीमत्-भागवतम् = ‘the glorious Bhāgavata’)

• तव: for you/of you
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Pronoun, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (addressing Nārada as vatsa, within the Kumāra–Nārada dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmad Bhāgavata

FAQs

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

It marks a structural milestone: after presenting key doctrinal topics, the text turns to the authoritative enumeration of Purāṇas and concludes the explanation of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata for the listener, reinforcing the Purāṇic tradition as a guided, teacher-to-student transmission.

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

By explicitly naming the Śrīmad Bhāgavata—widely regarded as a primary Bhakti scripture—the verse signals that Purāṇic summaries culminate in devotion-centered teaching, delivered personally to the seeker as practical spiritual instruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse is primarily an anukramaṇikā-style organizational cue (textual structuring and topic enumeration) rather than a direct Vedāṅga lesson; it reflects the Purāṇic method of systematic classification and indexing of sacred literature.