Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8
Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions
अस्पष्टमर्थहीनं च ह्यतिगुर्वक्षरान्वितम् । न दद्यान्नाम विप्रेन्द तथा च विषमाक्षरम् ॥ ८ ॥
aspaṣṭamarthahīnaṃ ca hyatigurvakṣarānvitam | na dadyānnāma viprenda tathā ca viṣamākṣaram || 8 ||
Wahai yang terbaik dalam kalangan brāhmaṇa, janganlah diberi nama yang kabur, tidak bermakna, sarat dengan suku kata yang terlalu berat, atau tersusun dengan suku kata yang tidak seimbang.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: none
FAQs
It teaches that a name is a dharmic samskāra marker: it should be meaningful, clear, and well-formed in sound, because speech (vāk) and correct utterance support auspiciousness and right conduct.
Indirectly, it supports bhakti by emphasizing purity and clarity of speech—since devotion commonly uses nāma (divine names, chanting), the text values names that are pronounceable, intelligible, and fit for respectful recitation.
Śikṣā (phonetics) and related concerns of guru/laghu syllabic weight and orderly syllable structure, guiding how names should be formed for correct pronunciation and linguistic propriety.