Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

एकाक्षरात्समारभ्य वर्णैकैकस्य वृद्धितः । षड्विंशत्यक्षरं यावत्पादस्तावत्पृथक् पृथक् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

ekākṣarātsamārabhya varṇaikaikasya vṛddhitaḥ | ṣaḍviṃśatyakṣaraṃ yāvatpādastāvatpṛthak pṛthak || 9 ||

Translation

एक अक्षर से आरम्भ करके, एक-एक वर्ण बढ़ाते हुए, छब्बीस अक्षरों तक जितने भी पाद सम्भव हों—उन सबको अलग-अलग क्रम से निरूपित करना चाहिए।

Word by Word

• एकाक्षरात्: from one syllable
• एकाक्षरात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; एकाक्षर- इति समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative sg); द्विगु-समास

• समारभ्य: starting (from)
• समारभ्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + रभ् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having begun/starting’

• वर्णैकैकस्य: of each single syllable/sound
• वर्णैकैकस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण + एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक; वर्णैकैक- इति समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive sg)

• वृद्धितः: by increment/increasingly
• वृद्धितः: हेतु/प्रकार (Reason/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘by increase/according to increase’

• षड्विंशत्यक्षरम्: up to twenty-six syllables
• षड्विंशत्यक्षरम्: अवधि (Limit/Extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंशति + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; षड्विंशत्यक्षर- इति समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative sg); द्विगु-समास (numeral compound)

• यावत्: up to/as far as
• यावत्: अवधि (Limit marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्धशब्द)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative): ‘as far as/up to’

• पादः: a pāda (quarter-verse)
• पादः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative sg)

• तावत्: that many/so far
• तावत्: परिमाण (Measure)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्धशब्द)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative): ‘so much/that far’

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘separately’

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical enumeration/structure of verse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined speech and precise recitation—an aspect of Vedic self-purification—by teaching systematic control over syllables and meter.

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

Bhakti is strengthened when praise, stotra, and mantra are recited correctly; this verse supports devotion by grounding it in accurate śabda (sacred sound) practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas and Śikṣā: counting syllables in a pāda and arranging metrical units step-by-step for correct chanting and composition.