Verse 34

Naadbindu

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आदौ जलधिमूतभेरीनिर्झरसम्भवः । मध्ये मर्दलशब्दाभो घण्टाकाहलजस्तथा ॥ अन्ते तु किङ्किणीवंशवीणाभ्रमरनिःस्वनः । इति नानाविधा नादाः श्रूयन्ते सूक्ष्मसूक्ष्मतः ॥३४॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

आदौ । जलधि-मूत-भेरी-निर्झर-सम्भवः । मध्ये । मर्दल-शब्द-आभः । घण्टा-काहल-जः । तथा । अन्ते । तु । किङ्किणी-वंश-वीणा-भ्रमर-निःस्वनः । इति । नाना-विधाः । नादाः । श्रूयन्ते । सूक्ष्म-सूक्ष्मतः ।

IAST Transliteration

ādau jaladhi-mūta-bherī-nirjhara-sambhavaḥ | madhye mardala-śabdābho ghaṇṭā-kāhalajas tathā || ante tu kiṅkiṇī-vaṃśa-vīṇā-bhramara-niḥsvanaḥ | iti nānāvidhā nādāḥ śrūyante sūkṣma-sūkṣmataḥ ||34||

Translation

في البدء يكون النَّادَا الداخلي كالصوت الناشئ من المحيط والسحاب وطبول الغلاية والشلالات؛ وفي الوسط يشبه صوت المِردَنْغا، وكذلك كأنه مولود من رنين الأجراس ونفخ الأبواق. وفي النهاية يكون كطنين الخلاخيل ونايٍ ووِينا وهمهمة النحل. هكذا تُسمَع أنواع شتّى من النَّادَا، أدقَّ فأدقّ.

Academic Translation

In the beginning (the inner sound is) like that arising from the ocean, clouds, kettle-drums, and waterfalls; in the middle it is like the sound of a mṛdaṅga; likewise it is born of bells and trumpets. At the end it is the resonance of anklets, flute, vīṇā, and the humming of bees. Thus, various kinds of nāda are heard, becoming subtler and subtler.

Verse Context

• Moksha (via Nāda/inner sound as a support leading to Brahman-realization)
• Mahavakya: Indirect: supports the contemplative assimilation of non-duality implied by mahāvākyas (e.g., ‘ayam ātmā brahma’) by refining attention from gross to subtle until mind becomes one-pointed.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Prose/Anuṣṭubh-like yoga-upaniṣad style (not strictly metrical in many recensions)