Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Nirukta, Phonetic Variants, and Vedic Dhātu–Svara Taxonomy

Devanagari script

वर्चाद्या अनुदात्तेत एकविंशतिरीरीताः । गुपादयो द्विचत्वारिंशदुदात्तेताः समीरिताः ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

varcādyā anudātteta ekaviṃśatirīrītāḥ | gupādayo dvicatvāriṃśadudāttetāḥ samīritāḥ || 22 ||

Translation

“വർച്-” മുതലായ ഗണത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ആരംഭിച്ച് ഇരുപത്തൊന്ന് പദങ്ങൾ അനുദാത്ത (താഴ്ന്ന സ്വരം) എന്നു നിർദ്ദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. “ഗുപ്-” മുതലായ ഗണത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ആരംഭിച്ച് നാല്പത്തിരണ്ട് പദങ്ങൾ ഉദാത്ത (ഉയർന്ന സ്വരം) എന്നു പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു॥२२॥

Word by Word

• वर्चाद्याः: the group beginning with varc-
• वर्चाद्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्चस् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्चसाम् आदयः)

• अनुदात्त-इताः: having anudātta as it-marker
• अनुदात्त-इताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुदात्त (प्रातिपदिक) + इ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘अनुदात्त’ इति विशेषणपूर्वकः कर्मधारयः; अर्थः—अनुदात्त-इट् (anudātta-it) युक्ताः

• एकविंशतिः: twenty-one
• एकविंशतिः: Visheshya-Sankhya (संख्या/Count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकविंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचकः द्विगु-समासः (एक + विंशति)

• ईरिताः: are stated/declared
• ईरिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘उक्ताः/निर्दिष्टाः’

• गुपादयः: the group beginning with gup-
• गुपादयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुपः आदयः)

• द्विचत्वारिंशत्: forty-two
• द्विचत्वारिंशत्: Visheshya-Sankhya (संख्या/Count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विचत्वारिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचकः द्विगु-समासः (द्वि + चत्वारिंशत्)

• उदात्त-इताः: having udātta as it-marker
• उदात्त-इताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदात्त (प्रातिपदिक) + इ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘उदात्त’ इति विशेषणपूर्वकः कर्मधारयः; अर्थः—उदात्त-इट् (udātta-it) युक्ताः

• समीरिताः: are proclaimed/mentioned
• समीरिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ईर् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि—‘सम्यक् उक्ताः/प्रोक्ताः’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/Śikṣā-style enumeration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It stresses that precision in Vedic sound—especially correct svara (accent)—is a disciplined limb of sacred learning, supporting purity of mantra-recitation and the steadiness of the mind in dharma and moksha-oriented practice.

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

While not directly teaching bhakti, it supports devotional practice by emphasizing accurate chanting; in Vishnu-bhakti traditions, correct intonation safeguards the intended meaning and devotional efficacy of Vedic and mantra recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics): it classifies groups of roots/terms by accent—identifying sets that take anudātta versus udātta—useful for correct oral transmission and chanting.