Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

सनन्दन उवाच । वैदिकं लौकिकं चापि छन्दो द्विविधमुच्यते । मात्रावर्णविभेदेन तच्चापि द्विविधं पुनः ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanandana uvāca | vaidikaṃ laukikaṃ cāpi chando dvividhamucyate | mātrāvarṇavibhedena taccāpi dvividhaṃ punaḥ || 1 ||

Translation

സനന്ദനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഛന്ദസ് രണ്ടുവിധം: വൈദികവും ലൗകികവും. അതും കൂടി മാത്രാ-ഭേദം, വർണ-ഭേദം എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് വീണ്ടും രണ്ടുവിധമാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सनन्दनः: Sanandana
• सनन्दनः: कर्ता (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वैदिकम्: Vedic
• वैदिकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (chandas-विशेषण)

• लौकिकम्: worldly / classical
• लौकिकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौकिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• अपि: also
• अपि: निपातार्थ (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (also)

• छन्दः: metre (chandas)
• छन्दः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ विधी यस्य)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is said/called)

• मात्रा-वर्ण-विभेदेन: by the distinction of morae and syllables/sounds
• मात्रा-वर्ण-विभेदेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा + वर्ण + विभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मात्राणां वर्णानां च विभेदः; तेन)

• तत्: that (metre)
• तत्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संकेत-प्रोनाउन (that)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• अपि: also
• अपि: निपातार्थ (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थः (also)

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• पुनः: again / further
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (again/further)

Speaker

Sanandana

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Sanandana

FAQs

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

It frames sacred learning as disciplined sound-knowledge: understanding chandas (metre) supports accurate Vedic transmission, which the Purana treats as a foundation for dharma and ultimately moksha.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing correct structure of sacred speech, it supports faithful chanting and recitation—key supports for bhakti practices that rely on mantra, stotra, and scriptural hearing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Chandas: metres are classified as Vaidika vs. Laukika, and analytically as mātrā-based (quantity-counting) vs. varṇa-based (syllable/phoneme-pattern) prosody.