Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

अस्पष्टमर्थहीनं च ह्यतिगुर्वक्षरान्वितम् । न दद्यान्नाम विप्रेन्द तथा च विषमाक्षरम् ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

aspaṣṭamarthahīnaṃ ca hyatigurvakṣarānvitam | na dadyānnāma viprenda tathā ca viṣamākṣaram || 8 ||

Translation

Oh el mejor de los brāhmaṇas, no debe otorgarse un nombre que sea confuso, carente de sentido, cargado de sílabas excesivamente pesadas, o formado por sílabas irregulares y desiguales.

Word by Word

• aspaṣṭam: unclear
• aspaṣṭam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + spaṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘unclear’ (qualifies nāma)

• artha-hīnam: meaningless
• artha-hīnam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अर्थेन हीनम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतौ-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• ati-guru-akṣara-anvitam: having excessively heavy syllables
• ati-guru-akṣara-anvitam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + guru + akṣara + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (अतिगुर्वक्षरैः अन्वितम्) ‘endowed with overly heavy syllables’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; निषेधेन ‘should not give’

• nāma: a name
• nāma: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vipra-inda: O best of brāhmaṇas
• vipra-inda: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra + inda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• viṣama-akṣaram: with irregular syllables
• viṣama-akṣaram: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣama + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विषमं अक्षरं यस्य/विषमाक्षरम्) ‘irregular-syllabled’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

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 teaches that a name is a dharmic samskāra marker: it should be meaningful, clear, and well-formed in sound, because speech (vāk) and correct utterance support auspiciousness and right conduct.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti by emphasizing purity and clarity of speech—since devotion commonly uses nāma (divine names, chanting), the text values names that are pronounceable, intelligible, and fit for respectful recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and related concerns of guru/laghu syllabic weight and orderly syllable structure, guiding how names should be formed for correct pronunciation and linguistic propriety.