Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Anūcāna (True Learning), the Vedāṅgas, and Śikṣā: Svara, Sāmavedic Chant, and Gandharva Theory

Devanagari script

ताना एकोनपंचाशदित्येतस्स्वरमंडलम् । षड्जश्च ऋषभश्चैव गांधारो मध्यमस्तथा ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

tānā ekonapaṃcāśadityetassvaramaṃḍalam | ṣaḍjaśca ṛṣabhaścaiva gāṃdhāro madhyamastathā || 31 ||

Translation

ตานะกล่าวว่ามีสี่สิบเก้า นี่คือมณฑลแห่งสวระอันครบถ้วน ในบรรดานั้นมีษฑชะ ฤษภะ คานธาระ และมัธยมะด้วย॥๓๑॥

Word by Word

• तानाः: tānas (melodic patterns)
• तानाः: कर्ता (कर्ता/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• एकोनपञ्चाशत्: forty-nine
• एकोनपञ्चाशत्: विधेय (predicate numeral)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकोन + पञ्चाशत् (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—एकेन ऊना पञ्चाशत् (तत्पुरुष)

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: विशेषण (स्वरमण्डल-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्वरमण्डलम्: the circle/system of notes
• स्वरमण्डलम्: विधेय (predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—स्वराणां मण्डलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• षड्जः: Ṣaḍja
• षड्जः: कर्ता (समुच्चित-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• ऋषभः: Ṛṣabha
• ऋषभः: कर्ता (समुच्चित-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• गान्धारः: Gāndhāra
• गान्धारः: कर्ता (समुच्चित-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मध्यमः: Madhyama
• मध्यमः: कर्ता (समुच्चित-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (and likewise)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It frames sacred sound (nāda) as an ordered science—by mapping tānas and svaras—supporting disciplined use of sound as a means toward inner steadiness and mokṣa-oriented practice.

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

While technical, it underlies bhakti through correct use of melody and pitch in stotra, kīrtana, and nāma-saṅkīrtana—showing that devotion can be strengthened when sound is rendered with proper svara-knowledge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights śikṣā (phonetics) and allied Gandharva-veda/music theory by enumerating the tonal framework (svara-maṇḍala) and naming core notes like ṣaḍja, ṛṣabha, gāndhāra, and madhyama.