Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

लघोर्दीर्घत्वमाख्याति दीर्घो गो लो लघुर्मतः । पादश्चतुर्थभागः स्याद्विच्छेदोयतिरुच्यते ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

laghordīrghatvamākhyāti dīrgho go lo laghurmataḥ | pādaścaturthabhāgaḥ syādvicchedoyatirucyate || 6 ||

Translation

‘ਗੋ’ ਦੇ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ ਨਾਲ ਲਘੂ ਨੂੰ ਦੀਰਘ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ‘ਲੋ’ ਨਾਲ ਦੀਰਘ ਵੀ ਲਘੂ ਸਮਝਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਛੰਦ ਦੀ ਪੰਕਤੀ ਦਾ ਚੌਥਾ ਹਿੱਸਾ ‘ਪਾਦ’ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਟੁੱਟ/ਵਿਰਾਮ ਨੂੰ ‘ਯਤੀ’ ਕਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• लघोः: of a laghu (light syllable)
• लघोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दीर्घत्वम्: lengthening / the state of being long
• दीर्घत्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घ-त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास/प्रत्यय: दीर्घ + त्व (abstract noun)

• आख्याति: indicates/declares
• आख्याति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दीर्घः: a long syllable (dīrgha)
• दीर्घः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गः: (is denoted by) ‘ga’
• गः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दःसंकेत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संकेताक्षर (mnemonic letter)

• लः: (is denoted by) ‘la’
• लः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ल (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दःसंकेत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संकेताक्षर

• लघुः: a laghu (light syllable)
• लघुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मतः: is considered
• मतः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘considered’

• पादः: a quarter (of a verse) / pāda
• पादः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चतुर्थभागः: a fourth part
• चतुर्थभागः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थ-भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: चतुर्थस्य भागः

• स्यात्: would be/is to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विच्छेदः: division/caesura (break)
• विच्छेदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-छिद् (धातु) + घञ्/अ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यतिः: pause/caesura (yati)
• यतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Narada (teaching technical rules within the Narada Purana’s metrical/śikṣā-style discussion)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It safeguards correct recitation by defining metrical quantities and pauses; accurate chanting supports clarity of mind and steadiness in dharma and mokṣa-oriented practice.

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

Bhakti relies on sincere praise and mantra-japa; this verse provides the chandas tools (laghu/guru, pāda, yati) that help devotees chant stotras and mantras correctly and rhythmically.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (Vedic prosody): how syllables are treated as laghu or dīrgha via markers, and how a verse is structured into pādas with yati (pause) for proper recitation.