Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Nirukta, Phonetic Variants, and Vedic Dhātu–Svara Taxonomy

Devanagari script

भ्रमरादुषु शब्देषु ज्ञेयो योगो हि पञ्चमः । बहुलं छन्दसीत्युक्तमत्र वाच्यं पुनर्वसू ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

bhramarāduṣu śabdeṣu jñeyo yogo hi pañcamaḥ | bahulaṃ chandasītyuktamatra vācyaṃ punarvasū || 5 ||

Translation

Dans des sons tels que le bourdonnement des abeilles et autres semblables, il faut reconnaître le cinquième yoga : la méditation sur le son. Ici, ô Puṇarvasu, il est enseigné que cette pratique est largement évoquée dans les mètres védiques (chandas).

Word by Word

• भ्रमर-आदुषु: in (words) beginning with ‘bhramara’
• भ्रमर-आदुषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रमर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः (‘beginning with bhramara’, i.e., ‘in words like bhramara’)

• शब्देषु: in words/sounds
• शब्देषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• ज्ञेयः: is to be known
• ज्ञेयः: Vidhaya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be known’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• योगः: (a) joining/combination (rule)
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle: ‘indeed/for’)

• पञ्चमः: fifth
• पञ्चमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• बहुलम्: variously/often
• बहुलम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative/neuter: ‘variously/often’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (used adverbially)

• छन्दसि: in Vedic usage
• छन्दसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the Veda/metrical texts’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• उक्तम्: said
• उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb: ‘here/in this context’)

• वाच्यम्: is to be stated
• वाच्यम्: Vidhaya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → वाच्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be stated’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुनर्वसू: O Punarvasu
• पुनर्वसू: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (ऋषिनाम)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Moksha-dharma context; addressing Punarvasu)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Punarvasu

FAQs

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

It points to a sound-based contemplative method—absorbing the mind in subtle inner sounds like the bee’s hum—as a recognized yogic means for steadiness and inward turning leading toward moksha.

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

By recommending absorption in sacred sound, it supports bhakti’s practical side: concentrating the mind through nāda so that remembrance and reverence become continuous and less distracted.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (Vedic metre) is referenced as the Vedic domain where such sound-oriented teachings are widely attested, linking yogic practice with Vedic recitational science and disciplined phonetic attention.