Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 112

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

विविधश्रुतिभिन्नमनोज्ञतरस्वरसप्तकमूर्छनतानगणैः । भ्रममाणममूभिरुदारमणिस्फुटमंडनसिंजितचारुतनुम् ॥ ११२ ॥

Transliteration

vividhaśrutibhinnamanojñatarasvarasaptakamūrchanatānagaṇaiḥ | bhramamāṇamamūbhirudāramaṇisphuṭamaṃḍanasiṃjitacārutanum || 112 ||

Translation

بجماعاتٍ من النغمات العذبة، مختلفةٍ في طبقاتها، مع السَّوَرات السبع وما يتبعها من مُورْچَنات وتانات، كانت الألحان تتحرّك في الأداء ذهابًا وإيابًا؛ وكانت هيئتها البهيّة مُزدانةً برنينٍ صافٍ متلألئ لزينةٍ من جواهر نفيسة.

Word by Word

• vividha-śruti-bhinna-manojñatara-svara-saptaka-mūrchana-tāna-gaṇaiḥ: by groups of varied, ear-differentiated, more-charming notes—saptaka, mūrchanā, and tāna
• vividha-śruti-bhinna-manojñatara-svara-saptaka-mūrchana-tāna-gaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक) + śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + bhinna (कृदन्त; √bhid भिद्) + manojña-tara (प्रातिपदिक; manojña + tara) + svara (प्रातिपदिक) + saptaka (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrchana (प्रातिपदिक) + tāna (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘gaṇaiḥ’ = by groups/sets; whole compound qualifies instrumentality

• bhramamāṇam: moving about / whirling
• bhramamāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhram (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies an implied object (e.g., Mukunda)

• amūbhiḥ: by these
• amūbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘by these/those (near)’

• udāra-maṇi-sphuṭa-maṃḍana-siṃjita-cāru-tanum: having a lovely body with the clear tinkling of splendid jeweled ornaments
• udāra-maṇi-sphuṭa-maṃḍana-siṃjita-cāru-tanum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udāra (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + sphuṭa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + maṃḍana (प्रातिपदिक) + siṃjita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √siṃj) + cāru (प्रातिपदिक) + tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; qualifies implied object

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada within the Vedanga/Śikṣā context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It highlights the sanctity of sound—precise pitch (śruti) and ordered notes (svara, mūrchanā, tāna)—showing that beauty and correctness in sacred sound support clarity of mind and effective mantra-recitation.

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

By portraying sound as exquisitely ordered and pleasing, it implies that devotional practice (kīrtana, stotra, and mantra) becomes more potent when rendered with proper svara and disciplined musical/phonetic form.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) and allied musical science: understanding śruti (pitch), the svara-saptaka (seven notes), and structured melodic movements (mūrchanā, tāna) relevant to accurate chanting and recitation.