Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

त्रिविधा हंसभेदेव श्रृणु तां च यथाक्रमम् । हंसाद्ययाऽद्या मध्या स्यादादिमध्यस्थहंसया ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

trividhā haṃsabhedeva śrṛṇu tāṃ ca yathākramam | haṃsādyayā'dyā madhyā syādādimadhyasthahaṃsayā || 26 ||

Translation

Now listen, in due order, to this threefold classification of the metre called Haṃsa: the first variety begins with “haṃsa”, the middle variety has “haṃsa” in the middle, and the last variety is that in which “haṃsa” stands at both the beginning and the middle.

Word by Word

• त्रिविधा: threefold
• त्रिविधा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘threefold’

• हंस-भेदे: in the division of Haṃsa
• हंस-भेदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘हंसस्य भेदः’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; ‘hear’

• ताम्: that (teaching)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्म

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• यथा-क्रमम्: in proper sequence
• यथा-क्रमम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणम्; ‘in due order’

• हंस-आद्यया: by the Haṃsa-beginning (form)
• हंस-आद्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘हंसः आद्यः यस्याः/या’ = ‘by the Haṃsa-beginning (one)’

• अद्याः: the first
• अद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (here: ‘the first’)

• मध्या: the middle
• मध्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘middle’

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘would be/is to be’

• आदि-मध्य-स्थ-हंसया: by the Haṃsā located at the beginning and middle
• आदि-मध्य-स्थ-हंसया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था) + हंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘आदि-मध्ये स्थिता हंसा’ = ‘by the Haṃsā situated at the beginning and middle’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It shows that sacred learning includes precise technical disciplines (Vedāṅgas) like Chandas; correct metrical knowledge supports accurate preservation and recitation of Vedic and devotional texts.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing disciplined transmission of hymns and stotras, it supports bhakti practice through correct chanting and textual integrity rather than giving a direct devotional instruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (prosody): it classifies the Haṃsa metre into three types based on where the marker “haṃsa” occurs—at the beginning, in the middle, or at both beginning and middle.