Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

The Anukramaṇikā (Contents-Outline) of the Vāmana Purāṇa

Devanagari script

माहेश्वरी भागवती सौरी गाणेश्वरी तथा । चतस्रः संहिताश्चात्र पृथक् साहस्रसंख्यया ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

māheśvarī bhāgavatī saurī gāṇeśvarī tathā | catasraḥ saṃhitāścātra pṛthak sāhasrasaṃkhyayā || 14 ||

Translation

此处有四部《集》（Saṃhitā）：摩醯湿伐梨（Māheśvarī）、薄伽梵底（Bhāgavatī）、苏利（Saurī）与伽涅湿伐梨（Gāṇeśvarī）；每一部各自成篇，皆为一千（偈/单位）。

Word by Word

• माहेश्वरी: Māheśvarī (Saṃhitā)
• माहेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा एकवचन; संहितानाम (name of a Saṃhitā)

• भागवती: Bhāgavatī (Saṃhitā)
• भागवती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; संहितानाम

• सौरी: Saurī (Saṃhitā)
• सौरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; संहितानाम

• गाणेश्वरी: Gāṇeśvarī (Saṃhitā)
• गाणेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाणेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; संहितानाम

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom. pl.); संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• संहिताः: saṃhitās, collections
• संहिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom. pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb: here)

• संहिताश्चात्र: and (there are) saṃhitās here
• संहिताश्चात्र: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिताः (प्रातिपदिक) + च (अव्यय) + अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सन्धि-समुच्चय: 'and (there are) saṃhitās here'

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/भेदवाचक (separately, distinctly)

• साहस्र: thousand
• साहस्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक — compound member; 'thousand-fold/ thousand'

• संख्यया: by number, in count
• संख्यया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instr. sg.)

• साहस्रसंख्यया: in a thousand (each), by the count of a thousand
• साहस्रसंख्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative): 'with a thousand count' (= each of a thousand); स्त्रीलिङ्ग तृतीया एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Nārada (in dialogue context with Sanatkumāra, cataloguing sections)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Maheśvara)
• Bhagavān (often Viṣṇu)
• Surya
• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It frames the Purāṇa as systematically organized into distinct deity-centered Saṃhitās, guiding seekers toward focused devotion and study through clearly defined textual divisions.

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

By naming Saṃhitās aligned with major deities (Śiva, Bhagavān/Viṣṇu, Sūrya, Gaṇeśa), it indicates structured avenues of upāsanā where devotion can be practiced with a dedicated corpus and method.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily textual organization and enumeration (anukramaṇikā-style cataloguing), useful for pāṭha (recitation), indexing, and traditional transmission rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.