Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Nirukta, Phonetic Variants, and Vedic Dhātu–Svara Taxonomy

Devanagari script

सनंदन उवाच । निरुक्तं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि वेदं श्रोत्रांगमुत्तमम् । तत्पंचविधमाख्यातं वैदिकं धातुरूपकम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanaṃdana uvāca | niruktaṃ te pravakṣyāmi vedaṃ śrotrāṃgamuttamam | tatpaṃcavidhamākhyātaṃ vaidikaṃ dhāturūpakam || 1 ||

Translation

Sanandana said: I shall explain to you Nirukta, the excellent auxiliary limb of the Veda, concerned with right hearing and understanding. It is declared to be fivefold, Vedic in character, and grounded in verbal roots (dhātu) and their forms.

Word by Word

• सनंदनः: Sanandana
• सनंदनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनंदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• निरुक्तम्: Nirukta (etymology/lexicon)
• निरुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन (तुभ्यम्/ते)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वेदम्: the Veda
• वेदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• श्रोत्र-अङ्गम्: a limb of the ear (i.e., of hearing)
• श्रोत्र-अङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्र + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘of the ear’)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वेदं/श्रोत्राङ्गम् प्रति)

• तत्-पञ्च-विधम्: that which is fivefold
• तत्-पञ्च-विधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + पञ्च (संख्या) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चविध = fivefold; तत् = that/its)

• आख्यातम्: called/known as
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु) → आख्यात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वैदिकम्: Vedic
• वैदिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• धातु-रूपकम्: a presentation of roots (dhātus)
• धातु-रूपकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु + रूपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (धातूनां रूपकम्)

Speaker

Sanandana

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sanandana
• Veda
• Nirukta

FAQs

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

It establishes Nirukta as a key Vedāṅga for truly hearing and grasping Vedic meaning, implying that accurate understanding of sacred sound supports right knowledge and liberation-oriented study.

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

While not directly teaching bhakti practices, it supports devotion by insisting that Vedic words and mantras be understood correctly; such clarity strengthens śraddhā and prevents misinterpretation in worship and recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Nirukta is highlighted: the discipline of explaining Vedic terms through dhātus (verbal roots) and rūpas (derived forms), presented here as having a fivefold structure.