Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 116

Hanūmaccarita

The Account of Hanumān

Devanagari script

स्वयं गायति देवेशे विश्रामं गलदेशिकम् । स्वरं ध्रुवं समादाय सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

svayaṃ gāyati deveśe viśrāmaṃ galadeśikam | svaraṃ dhruvaṃ samādāya sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam || 116 ||

Translation

他亲自在诸天之主前歌唱，于喉间安置恰当的停顿，并摄取稳固的“dhruva”定音，具足正唱的一切特征。

Word by Word

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘himself’

• gāyati: sings
• gāyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gai (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.)

• deveśe: in/for the Lord of gods
• deveśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (sg.)

• viśrāmam: rest/pause
• viśrāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसक (n.) प्रचलित; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• galadeśikam: pertaining to the throat
• galadeśikam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gala + deśika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; viśrāmam qualifies: ‘throat-related/at the throat’

• svaram: note/tonal sound
• svaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• dhruvam: fixed/steady
• dhruvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; svaram qualifies

• samādāya: having taken
• samādāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having taken/assuming’

• sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam: endowed with all marks
• sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + lakṣaṇa + saṃyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; qualifies svaram/viśrāmam contextually: ‘endowed with all characteristics’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical disciplines allied to Veda, including music/svara-lakshana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devesha

FAQs

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

It presents disciplined, technically correct singing as an offering to the Lord (Deveśa), showing that devotion is strengthened when worship is performed with proper method, steadiness, and purity of expression.

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

Bhakti here is not merely emotion; it is expressed as attentive service—singing directly to the Lord with correct pauses and a steady note—making the act of praise both heartfelt and well-formed.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Śikṣā-style concerns (phonetics/voice placement and pause) applied to musical recitation: correct ‘viśrāma’ (caesura), throat placement (gala-deśa), and maintaining a stable ‘dhruva’ svara.