Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

वातो मरुच्चाग्रिवह्नी धराक्ष्मे जलचारिणी । विमुखं चरशुचिविभू वनस्वशक्तयः स्वराः ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

vāto maruccāgrivahnī dharākṣme jalacāriṇī | vimukhaṃ caraśucivibhū vanasvaśaktayaḥ svarāḥ || 18 ||

Translation

स्वरांचे वर्गीकरण असे सांगितले आहे—वात, मरुत् (प्रचंड वारा), अग्निवाहक, धरा व आकाश, आणि जलचर; तसेच ‘विमुख’, ‘चर’, ‘शुचि’, ‘विभू’; आणि ‘वन’, ‘स्व’, ‘शक्ती’—ही त्यांची पारिभाषिक नावे आहेत.

Word by Word

• वातः: wind
• वातः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मरुत्: Marut (storm-wind)
• मरुत्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Vedic/poetic form; here as a name/term)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अग्नि-वह्नी: Agni-fire (fire-flame)
• अग्नि-वह्नी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + वह्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय: 'अग्निरूपा वह्निः/वह्नी'

• धरा: earth; bearer
• धरा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्ष्मे: O Earth
• क्ष्मे: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्ष्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (poetic vocative)

• जल-चारिणी: she who moves in water
• जल-चारिणी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + चारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: 'जले चरति'

• विमुखम्: turned away; averted
• विमुखम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (context-dependent)

• चर: moving; roaming
• चर: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण/नाम (can function as 'moving')

• शुचि: pure; bright
• शुचि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विभू: the all-pervading lord; mighty one
• विभू: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'विभुः' अर्थे (stem in -ū; nominative often 'विभुः')

• वनः: forest
• वनः: कर्ता/विषय (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्व: own
• स्व: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; (here as prefix-like qualifier)

• शक्तयः: powers; energies
• शक्तयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्वराः: sounds; vowels/tones
• स्वराः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada, Vedanga/Śikṣā-style instruction)

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 frames vowels (svaras) as cosmic principles—elements and powers—implying that correct sound is not merely linguistic but a sacred force that supports mantra efficacy and ritual precision.

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

Bhakti practices like nāma-japa and stotra recitation rely on sound; by treating vowels as ‘powers’ and ‘all-pervading’, the verse underscores that attentive, reverent pronunciation strengthens devotional chanting and its inner transformation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics): it presents a technical categorization of svaras (vowels/tones) using elemental and qualitative labels, guiding disciplined articulation for Vedic recitation and ritual correctness.