Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

अश्वक्रांता तु गांधारे तृतीया मूर्च्छना स्मृता । मध्यमे खलु सौवीरा हृषिका पंचमे स्वरे ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

aśvakrāṃtā tu gāṃdhāre tṛtīyā mūrcchanā smṛtā | madhyame khalu sauvīrā hṛṣikā paṃcame svare || 38 ||

Translation

มูรฉนะลำดับที่สาม อาศัยเสียงคานธาระ ระลึกนามว่า ‘อัศวกรานตา’; เมื่ออยู่ที่เสียงมัธยมะ เรียกว่า ‘เสาวีรา’ และเมื่ออยู่ที่เสียงที่ห้า เรียกว่า ‘หฤษิกา’.

Word by Word

• अश्वक्रान्ता: (the mūrchanā named) Aśvakrāntā
• अश्वक्रान्ता: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वक्रान्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—अश्व + क्रान्ता (तत्पुरुषः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अनुवादार्थक

• गान्धारे: in/at the Gāndhāra (note)
• गान्धारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• तृतीया: the third
• तृतीया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण

• मूर्च्छना: mūrchanā (musical mode/scale)
• मूर्च्छना: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्च्छना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्मृता: is remembered/said
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is said/remembered’

• मध्यमे: in the Madhyama (note)
• मध्यमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• सौवीरा: (the mūrchanā named) Sauvīrā
• सौवीरा: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौवीरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हृषिका: (the mūrchanā named) Hṛṣikā
• हृषिका: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth
• पञ्चमे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण

• स्वरे: note/tone
• स्वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical classifications supportive to dharma/vidyā)

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 (svara/nāda) as an ordered science: by naming mūrcchanās according to specific notes, the text presents disciplined knowledge of sound as a supportive vidyā that can refine concentration and devotional practice.

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

While not directly prescribing bhakti, it supports bhakti through correct cultivation of sound and melody—tools commonly used in praising the Divine—showing that devotion benefits from well-structured śāstric understanding of nāda.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical instruction in sound—close to Śikṣā (phonetics) and allied musical science (Gāndharva-Veda)—by classifying mūrcchanās with reference to specific svaras like Gāndhāra, Madhyama, and Pañcama.