Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

Nirukta, Phonetic Variants, and Vedic Dhātu–Svara Taxonomy

Devanagari script

अदंता धातवश्चैव चत्वारिंशत्तथाष्टं च । पदाद्यास्तु दश प्रोक्ता धातवो ह्यात्मनेपदे ॥ ७१ ॥

Transliteration

adaṃtā dhātavaścaiva catvāriṃśattathāṣṭaṃ ca | padādyāstu daśa proktā dhātavo hyātmanepade || 71 ||

Translation

ธาตุที่ไม่ลงท้ายด้วยอักษร ‘ด’ มีสี่สิบแปด. และธาตุสิบประการที่ขึ้นต้นด้วยหมวด ‘ปท’ ได้สอนไว้ว่าเป็นอาตมเนปท (ātmanepada)

Word by Word

• अदंता: ending in -a (adanta)
• अदंता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण; (धातवः) अदन्ताः—अदन्त-प्रत्ययान्ताः

• धातवः: roots
• धातवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• चत्वारिंशत्: forty
• चत्वारिंशत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तथा: and also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: likewise/and also)

• अष्टम्: eight
• अष्टम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• पदाद्याः: beginning with pad
• पदाद्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष (पदः आदिः येषाम्)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक

• दश: ten
• दश: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• प्रोक्ताः: are said
• प्रोक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय

• धातवः: roots
• धातवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (for/indeed)

• आत्मनेपदे: in ātmanepada
• आत्मनेपदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मनेपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

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 grounds spiritual study in Vedāṅga-Vyākaraṇa: correct knowledge of dhātus and Ātmanepada usage supports accurate recitation, interpretation, and disciplined learning—seen as aids to dharma and moksha-oriented understanding.

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

Indirectly: Bhakti practices rely on correctly formed names, stotras, and mantras; this verse highlights the grammatical framework that preserves the purity of sacred speech used in Vishnu-bhakti and other devotional recitations.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga-Vyākaraṇa (Sanskrit grammar): it states numerical groupings of verbal roots—(1) 48 “a-danta” roots and (2) a set of 10 “pad-ādi” roots—classified for Ātmanepada (middle-voice) conjugation.