Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

यदि पंचमो विरमते गांधारश्चांतरस्वरो भवति । ऋषभो निषादसहितस्तं पंचममीदृशं विद्यात् ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

yadi paṃcamo viramate gāṃdhāraścāṃtarasvaro bhavati | ṛṣabho niṣādasahitastaṃ paṃcamamīdṛśaṃ vidyāt || 52 ||

Translation

اگر پنچم سُر ادا نہ ہو تو گاندھار درمیانی (انتر) سُر بن جاتا ہے؛ اور رِشبھ نِشاد کے ساتھ اسی طرح پنچم کے طور پر سمجھا جائے۔

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• paṃcamaḥ: the fifth (note)
• paṃcamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• viramate: ceases/stops
• viramate: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ram (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• gāṃdhāraḥ: Gāndhāra (note)
• gāṃdhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāṃdhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• aṃtarasvaraḥ: the intermediate tone
• aṃtarasvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃtara-svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्तरस्य स्वरः = intermediate tone)

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ṛṣabhaḥ: Ṛṣabha (note)
• ṛṣabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• niṣāda-sahitaḥ: accompanied by Niṣāda
• niṣāda-sahitaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण of ṛṣabhaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣāda (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (कृदन्त; √sah/सह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (निषादेन सहितः = accompanied by Niṣāda)

• tam: that (one)
• tam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• paṃcamam: the fifth (note)
• paṃcamam: Karma (कर्म; object-complement with tam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• īdṛśam: such/like this
• īdṛśam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of paṃcamam)

• vidyāt: should know/recognize
• vidyāt: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga/Shiksha context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gandhara
• Rishabha
• Nishada
• Panchama

FAQs

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

It highlights the Purana’s Vedanga emphasis that correct understanding of sound (svara/nāda) supports accurate mantra-intonation, which in turn steadies the mind and aids dharma and inner clarity.

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

Indirectly: bhakti practices rely on śabda—kīrtana, stotra, and mantra. This verse reinforces that disciplined knowledge of pitch/intonation safeguards devotional recitation from distortion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics/intonation): it explains functional substitution/recognition of a note (Pañcama) through related notes and an intermediate pitch (antara-svara), useful for precise chanting and musical-ritual performance.