Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

Anūcāna (True Learning), the Vedāṅgas, and Śikṣā: Svara, Sāmavedic Chant, and Gandharva Theory

Devanagari script

तानरागस्वरग्राममूर्च्छनानां तु लक्षणम् । पवित्रं पावनं पुण्यं यथा तुभ्यं प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

tānarāgasvaragrāmamūrcchanānāṃ tu lakṣaṇam | pavitraṃ pāvanaṃ puṇyaṃ yathā tubhyaṃ prakīrtitam || 29 ||

Translation

താന, രാഗ, സ്വര, ഗ്രാമ, മൂർച്ച്ഛന എന്നിവയുടെ ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ നിനക്കു യഥാവിധി പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. ഈ ഉപദേശങ്ങൾ പവിത്രവും പാവനവും പുണ്യപ്രദവും ആകുന്നു॥२९॥

Word by Word

• तानरागस्वरग्राममूर्च्छनानाम्: of the tānas, rāgas, notes, grāmas, and mūrcchanās
• तानरागस्वरग्राममूर्च्छनानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तान + राग + स्वर + ग्राम + मूर्च्छना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासः—तान-राग-स्वर-ग्राम-मूर्च्छनाः (समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व), तेषाम् (षष्ठी)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• लक्षणम्: the definition/characteristic
• लक्षणम्: विधेय/कर्म (contextual object of implied ‘वक्ष्यामि’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र विधेय (predicate)

• पवित्रम्: pure
• पवित्रम्: विशेषण (लक्षण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पावनम्: purifying
• पावनम्: विशेषण (लक्षण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पुण्यम्: meritorious/holy
• पुण्यम्: विशेषण (लक्षण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• यथा: as
• यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया/चतुर्थी (2nd/4th), एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) अधिकयुक्ता

• प्रकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: क्रिया/विधेय (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘प्रकीर्तितम् (अस्ति)’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It frames technical knowledge of sacred sound (tāna, rāga, svara, grāma, mūrcchanā) as spiritually purifying and merit-producing, not merely artistic or theoretical.

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

By emphasizing purity and punya gained through sacred instruction, it supports the Bhakti ethos that disciplined, sanctified sound and learning can become an offering and a purifier of the mind.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā-related sound science and allied technical tradition: correct understanding of notes (svara), scale-systems (grāma), modal progressions (mūrcchanā), and melodic structures (rāga, tāna).