Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

चतुर्लास्तु गणाः पञ्च प्रोक्ता आर्यादिसंमताः । संयोगश्च विसर्गश्चानुस्वारो लघुतः परः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

caturlāstu gaṇāḥ pañca proktā āryādisaṃmatāḥ | saṃyogaśca visargaścānusvāro laghutaḥ paraḥ || 5 ||

Translation

Las autoridades eruditas, comenzando por la tradición de Āryā, enseñan que en el sistema de cuatro-lā se establecen cinco gaṇas; y que un grupo consonántico (saṃyoga), el visarga (ḥ) y el anusvāra (ṃ) se tratan como elementos que siguen—y por ello afectan—a una sílaba breve (laghu).

Word by Word

• चतुर्लाः: the four ‘lā’ (four additional markers)
• चतुर्लाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्-ला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु: चतुर् (संख्या) + ला (लकार/संकेत)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय-निपात (but/indeed)

• गणाः: groups/gaṇas
• गणाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण/Numerical qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द (numeral used indeclinably here)

• प्रोक्ताः: are declared
• प्रोक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आर्यादिसंमताः: approved by Ārya and others
• आर्यादिसंमताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्य-आदि-संमत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: आर्यादिभिः संमताः (instrumental-tatpurusha)

• संयोगः: consonant cluster (conjunction)
• संयोगः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय conjunction

• विसर्गः: visarga (ḥ)
• विसर्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय conjunction

• अनुस्वारः: anusvāra (ṃ)
• अनुस्वारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुस्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लघुतः: than (a) laghu
• लघुतः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘from/than laghu-ness’

• परः: is greater/stronger
• परः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (comparative sense: ‘beyond/superior’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga-style technical passage)

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 emphasizes disciplined, correct recitation—showing that precision in sound (śikṣā/chandas) supports purity of mantra-study, which is a foundational aid to dharma and mokṣa.

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

While technical, it indirectly serves bhakti by safeguarding accurate chanting of names, hymns, and mantras—devotion in the Purāṇic tradition is strengthened when recitation is metrically and phonetically correct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas/Śikṣā: it notes gaṇa classification and teaches that saṃyoga (consonant clusters), visarga (ḥ), and anusvāra (ṃ) influence syllable treatment around a laghu, which is crucial for correct meter and chanting.