Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

कैशिकं भावयित्वा तु स्वरैः सर्वैः समंततः । यस्मात्तु मध्यमे न्यासस्तस्मात्कैशिकमध्यमः ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

kaiśikaṃ bhāvayitvā tu svaraiḥ sarvaiḥ samaṃtataḥ | yasmāttu madhyame nyāsastasmātkaiśikamadhyamaḥ || 56 ||

Translation

Nachdem der Kaiśika‑Modus durch das volle Rund aller Töne vollständig entfaltet wurde, heißt er, da sein Ruhepunkt (Nyāsa) auf dem mittleren Ton (Madhyama) liegt, daher „Kaiśika‑madhyama“.

Word by Word

• kaiśikam: Kaiśika (mode)
• kaiśikam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaiśika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• bhāvayitvā: having cultivated/produced
• bhāvayitvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāvayitvā (कृदन्त; √bhū/भू causative भावयति)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक

• svaraiḥ: with notes/tones
• svaraiḥ: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• sarvaiḥ: with all
• sarvaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of svaraiḥ)

• samantataḥ: throughout/on all sides
• samantataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: on all sides/throughout)

• yasmāt: since/from which
• yasmāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मादर्थे पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपं; हेतु/कारणार्थे (from which; since)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक

• madhyame: in the middle note (Madhyama)
• madhyame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• nyāsaḥ: resting/settling (final placement)
• nyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान; inferential cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मादर्थे पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपं; निष्कर्षार्थे (therefore/from that)

• kaiśika-madhyamaḥ: Kaiśika-madhyama (name)
• kaiśika-madhyamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaiśika (प्रातिपदिक) + madhyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कैशिकस्य मध्यमः/मध्यम-प्रधानः इति संज्ञा)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/vedanga-style exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined sound-knowledge: a musical/recitational mode is defined by its nyāsa (resting note), showing that precision in svara is integral to preserving sacred sound and its intended effect.

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

By grounding devotional singing/recitation in correct svara practice: when hymns are rendered with proper tonal structure (including the nyāsa), the offering of sound becomes more focused and faithful, supporting steady bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā/Gandharva-oriented technical knowledge: classification by svara and the concept of nyāsa (the settling note) used to identify and correctly perform a given melodic/recitational type such as Kaiśika-madhyama.