Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 91

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

पंचमश्चापि विज्ञेयस्तथा चापि निषादवान् । एष सप्तविधः प्रोक्तो गुण आकाशसंभवः ॥ ९१ ॥

Transliteration

paṃcamaścāpi vijñeyastathā cāpi niṣādavān | eṣa saptavidhaḥ prokto guṇa ākāśasaṃbhavaḥ || 91 ||

Translation

The fifth is also to be understood—Pañcama—and likewise that which is endowed with Niṣāda. Thus this quality, arising from ākāśa (ether), has been declared to be sevenfold.

Word by Word

• paṃcamaḥ: Pañcama (pa)
• paṃcamaḥ: Karta (Item in enumeration/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcama (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; musical note

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (अपि—also/even)

• vijñeyaḥ: is to be known
• vijñeyaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + jñā (धातु) + ya (तव्यत्/gerundive)
• Form: Kṛdanta; gerundive (तव्यत्/यत्) meaning ‘to be known’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; connector (समुच्चयार्थे)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• niṣādavān: (and) Niṣāda (ni) as well / having Niṣāda
• niṣādavān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣāda (प्रातिपदik) + vat (मतुप्/वतु् possessive suffix)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; possessive adjective (वतु्/मतुप्-अर्थ) ‘having Niṣāda’

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• sapta-vidhaḥ: sevenfold
• sapta-vidhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदik) + vidha (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya ‘sevenfold’

• proktaḥ: is proclaimed
• proktaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु) + ta (क्त, PPP)
• Form: Kṛdanta (PPP/क्त); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘is proclaimed’

• guṇaḥ: quality
• guṇaḥ: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ākāśa-saṃbhavaḥ: born of ether
• ākāśa-saṃbhavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदik) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘arising from ether’ (आकाशात् सम्भवः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Akasha

FAQs

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

It links nāda (sound) to ākāśa (ether), showing that subtle cosmic principles manifest as ordered vibrations; knowing this order supports inner discipline and contemplative understanding in Moksha-dharma.

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

By emphasizing the structured nature of sacred sound, it indirectly supports bhakti practices like mantra and kīrtana—devotion becomes effective when sound (svara/nāda) is approached with knowledge and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Śikṣā (phonetics): the verse references svara-knowledge via musical/tonal categories (pañcama, niṣāda) and frames sound as an ākāśa-born guṇa, relevant to correct chanting and recitation.