Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 90

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

तस्य शब्दस्य वक्ष्यामि विस्तरं विविधात्मकम् । षड्जो ऋषभगांधारौ मध्यमोधैवतस्तथा ॥ ९० ॥

Transliteration

tasya śabdasya vakṣyāmi vistaraṃ vividhātmakam | ṣaḍjo ṛṣabhagāṃdhārau madhyamodhaivatastathā || 90 ||

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ ആ ശബ്ദത്തിന്റെ നാനാവിധ സ്വരൂപവിസ്താരം ഞാൻ പറയുന്നു—ഷഡ്ജം, ഋഷഭം, ഗാന്ധാരം, മധ്യമം, ധൈവതം.

Word by Word

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• śabdasya: of sound
• śabdasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• vakṣyāmi: I shall describe
• vakṣyāmi: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ/Periphrastic future (Luṭ/लुट्, simple future sense), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तम), Ekavacana

• vistaram: the detail/expansion
• vistaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana

• vividha-ātmakam: of diverse forms
• vividha-ātmakam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of karma/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘of various kinds in nature’ (विविधम् आत्मा यस्य/विविधस्वभावम्) used as adjective to vistaram

• ṣaḍjaḥ: Ṣaḍja (sa)
• ṣaḍjaḥ: Karta (Item in enumeration/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaḍja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; musical note

• ṛṣabha-gāndhārau: Ṛṣabha and Gāndhāra
• ṛṣabha-gāndhārau: Karta (Items in enumeration/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक) + gāndhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana (Dual/द्विवचन); itaretara-dvandva (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• madhyamaḥ: Madhyama (ma)
• madhyamaḥ: Karta (Item in enumeration/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; musical note

• dhaivataḥ: Dhaivata (dha)
• dhaivataḥ: Karta (Item in enumeration/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhaivata (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; musical note

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; connector (समुच्चयार्थे)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It frames sacred sound (śabda) as a structured, knowable principle—whose ordered forms (svaras/notes) can be studied and applied with discipline, supporting inner refinement that is aligned with mokṣa-oriented dharma.

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

By emphasizing orderly sound and its varieties, the verse supports the devotional principle that praise, chanting, and recitation are most effective when performed with correct tonal knowledge—making bhakti practices steadier and more reverent.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics)—specifically the classification of sound into svaras (musical/tonal notes), a technical foundation for accurate Vedic recitation and disciplined sacred chanting.