Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Chandas: Varṇa-gaṇas, Guru-Laghu, Vṛtta-bheda, and Prastāra Procedures

Devanagari script

इत्येतत्किंचिदाख्यातं लक्षणं छंदसां नुने । प्रस्तारोक्तप्रभेदानां नामानांस्त्यं प्रगाहते ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

ityetatkiṃcidākhyātaṃ lakṣaṇaṃ chaṃdasāṃ nune | prastāroktaprabhedānāṃ nāmānāṃstyaṃ pragāhate || 21 ||

Translation

So habe ich nun kurz die kennzeichnenden Merkmale der vedischen Metren (chandas) dargelegt. Als Nächstes werde ich die feststehenden Namen der verschiedenen Einteilungen vortragen, wie sie durch das prastāra (die systematischen metrischen Permutationen) überliefert sind.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्तिवाचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• किञ्चित्: a little/somewhat
• किञ्चित्: विशेषण (Adverbial/quantifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (indeclinable ‘a little/somewhat’)

• आख्यातम्: has been explained/stated
• आख्यातम्: क्रिया-विशेष्य (Predicate: ‘has been stated’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘आख्यात’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लक्षणम्: definition/characteristic
• लक्षणम्: कर्म (Object/apposition to एतत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• छन्दसाम्: of metres
• छन्दसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• नुने: indeed/now
• नुने: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अनुनयार्थक निपात (particle; here ‘indeed/now’)

• प्रस्तार-उक्त-प्रभेदानाम्: of the varieties stated in the prastāra
• प्रस्तार-उक्त-प्रभेदानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्तार+उक्त+प्रभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (प्रस्तारे उक्ताः प्रभेदाः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• नाम्नाम्: of the names
• नाम्नाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अस्त्यम्: there is/exists
• अस्त्यम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्ति (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; sandhi-form ‘अस्ति’ + ‘अम्’ (enclitic) → ‘अस्त्यम्’

• प्रगाहते: enters into/extends to
• प्रगाहते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+गाह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada on technical knowledge, including chandas)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It frames sacred knowledge as orderly and transmissible: even technical Vedanga topics like Chandas are taught with clear lakṣaṇas (definitions) and authoritative naming, supporting accurate preservation and recitation of Vedic wisdom.

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

Indirectly: correct metre and recitation protect the integrity of hymns and praises used in worship; by promising the proper names and classifications, the teacher safeguards disciplined śravaṇa and kīrtana grounded in accurate Vedic sound.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (Vedic prosody), specifically the prastāra method—systematic permutation/arrangement used to enumerate and classify metrical patterns and their standard names.