Devanagari
पुराणसंहितामेतामृषिर्नारायणोऽव्यय: ।
नारदाय पुरा प्राह कृष्णद्वैपायनाय स: ॥ ४१ ॥
Verse text
purāṇa-saṁhitām etām
ṛṣir nārāyaṇo ’vyayaḥ
nāradāya purā prāha
kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyanāya saḥ
Synonyms
purāṇa
—
of all the Purāṇas
;
saṁhitām
—
the essential compendium
;
etām
—
this
;
ṛṣiḥ
—
the great sage
;
nārāyaṇaḥ
—
Lord Nara-Nārāyaṇa
;
avyayaḥ
—
the infallible
;
nāradāya
—
to Nārada Muni
;
purā
—
previously
;
prāha
—
spoke
;
kṛṣṇa
—
dvaipāyanāya — to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vedavyāsa
;
saḥ
—
he, Nārada .
Translation
Long ago this essential anthology of all the Purāṇas was spoken by the infallible Lord Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi to Nārada, who then repeated it to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vedavyāsa.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Long ago, this anthology of all the Purāṇas was spoken by wise Viṣṇu to Bṛahmā. Brahmā, with undiminished bhakti, taught it to Nārada. Nārada spoke it to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vedavyāsa.
One should study, teach, hear, and have others hear Bhāgavatam following a pure, unbroken line of guru-parampara. That is the intention of this verse. Wise Nārāyaṇa taught this to Brahmā. The missing word Brahmā should be supplied. Brahmā, without decrease in bhakti because of having no offenses (avyayaḥ), taught it to Nārada.