Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

Anūcāna (True Learning), the Vedāṅgas, and Śikṣā: Svara, Sāmavedic Chant, and Gandharva Theory

Devanagari script

तानान्पंचदशेच्छंति गांधारे सामगायिनाम् । नदी विशाला सुमुखी चित्रा चित्रवती मुखा ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

tānānpaṃcadaśecchaṃti gāṃdhāre sāmagāyinām | nadī viśālā sumukhī citrā citravatī mukhā || 35 ||

Translation

Im Land Gandhāra, so heißt es, erkennen die Sāma-Sänger fünfzehn Namen/Varianten. Die Flüsse sind: Viśālā, Sumukhī, Citrā, Citravatī und Mukhā.

Word by Word

• तानान्: tānas (tones)
• तानान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• पञ्चदश: fifteen
• पञ्चदश: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (तानान् इति विशेष्येण सह); द्विगु-समासः—पञ्च + दश

• इच्छन्ति: desire/seek
• इच्छन्ति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• गान्धारे: in (the mode) Gāndhāra
• गान्धारे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• सामगायिनाम्: of the Sāma-singers
• सामगायिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामगायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; समासः—सामन् + गायिन् (उपपद-तत्पुरुष; “singers of Sāman”)

• नदी: Nadī (name of a mūrchanā)
• नदी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• विशाला: Viśālā (name)
• विशाला: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुमुखी: Sumukhī (name; “fair-faced”)
• सुमुखी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमुखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—सु + मुख (यस्याः सा)

• चित्रा: Citrā (name)
• चित्रा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चित्रवती: Citravatī (name; “possessing variegation”)
• चित्रवती: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्/वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive formation)

• मुखा: Mukhā (name)
• मुखा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Gandhāra
• Sāma-veda (Sāmagāna)
• Viśālā
• Sumukhī
• Citrā
• Citravatī
• Mukhā

FAQs

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

The verse preserves sacred geography by naming rivers and regional traditions; remembering and honoring such tīrtha-associated names is treated as supportive to dharma and purification, which in Mokṣa-dharma sections is linked to inner cleansing and merit.

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

Indirectly: by situating Vedic Sāma-chanting communities and sacred rivers, it frames bhakti as lived tradition—devotion expressed through remembrance, recitation, and pilgrimage-oriented reverence for holy places connected with Vedic practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Vedic Śrauta/recitational culture around Sāmagāna (Sāma-veda chanting) and the careful preservation of regional enumerations—useful for understanding Vedic tradition transmission, nomenclature, and ritual geography.