Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Nirukta, Phonetic Variants, and Vedic Dhātu–Svara Taxonomy

Devanagari script

ब्रूह्याद्यादेः परस्याप्यौ श्रावयेत्यादिके प्लुतः । दाश्वांश्व स्वतवान्यापौत्रिभिष्ट्वं च नृभिष्टुतः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

brūhyādyādeḥ parasyāpyau śrāvayetyādike plutaḥ | dāśvāṃśva svatavānyāpautribhiṣṭvaṃ ca nṛbhiṣṭutaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

在以“brūhi”等开头的形式中，以及其后之词“au”，又在以“śrāvayet”等开头的用法里，元音应作 pluta（延长音）而诵。又如“dāśvāṃśva”“svatavān”及“yā‑pautri‑”之组，采用“tvaṃ”之音；而于“nṛbhiṣṭutaḥ”亦规定相应的语音处理法则。

Word by Word

• ब्रूहि-आदि-आदेः: of the beginning (rule-section) ‘brūhi’ etc.
• ब्रूहि-आदि-आदेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रूहि (धातु √ब्रू) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—(ब्रूहि-आदि) इति तत्पुरुषः, तस्य ‘आदेः’ = ‘आदौ/प्रारम्भे’ इत्यर्थे षष्ठी

• परस्य: of the following (one)
• परस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• औ: the vowel ‘au’
• औ: Nirdeshaka (निर्देशक/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: औ (स्वर/प्रत्याहार-चिह्न)
• Form: अव्यय; स्वर-निर्देश (vowel marker)

• श्रावयेति-आदिके: in the section beginning with “śrāvaye”
• श्रावयेति-आदिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रावयेति (धातु √श्रु, णिच् causative; इति-उद्धरण) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—‘श्रावयेति’ इत्यस्य उद्धरणेन ‘आदि’ सह तत्पुरुषः; ‘-के’ = अधिकरण-सप्तमी

• प्लुतः: (the) pluta (protracted vowel)
• प्लुतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दाश्वान्: the giver (Vedic form)
• दाश्वान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाश्वस् (प्रातिपदिक; √दा ‘to give’ से कृत/विशेष-रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वैदिक-रूप (Vedic form)

• श्व: tomorrow
• श्व: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• स्वतवान्: possessing one’s own (i.e., endowed)
• स्वतवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वतवत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; गुणवाचक विशेषण

• यापौत्रिभिः: by/with the yāpautris (a class/name)
• यापौत्रिभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यापौत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; वैदिक/व्याकरण-उदाहरण-शब्द

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• नृभिः: by men
• नृभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• स्तुतः: praised
• स्तुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्तु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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 teaches that precision in sacred sound (śabda)—especially correct vowel length and prescribed forms—is part of dharma and supports the purity and efficacy of Vedic study that ultimately aids moksha-oriented discipline.

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

While technical, it supports bhakti indirectly: devotion expressed through mantra and recitation becomes steadier and more potent when pronunciation follows śikṣā and vyākaraṇa, preventing errors (doṣa) in worship and japa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar): specifically the use of pluta (protracted) vowels and prescribed word-forms in Vedic recitation contexts.