Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 114

Jyotiṣa-śāstra Saṅgraha: Threefold Division, Gaṇita Methods, Muhūrta, and Planetary Reckoning

Devanagari script

अर्कबाहुफलाभ्यस्ता ग्रहभुक्तिविभाजिताः । भचक्रकलिकाभिस्तु लिप्ताः कार्या ग्रहेऽर्कवत् ॥ ११४ ॥

Transliteration

arkabāhuphalābhyastā grahabhuktivibhājitāḥ | bhacakrakalikābhistu liptāḥ kāryā grahe'rkavat || 114 ||

Translation

تُعَدّ من ثمر نبات الأركا (arka) وتُقسَّم بحسب مدة تأثير كل كوكب (bhukti)، ثم تُلطَّخ بقطعٍ صغيرة من عجلة البروج (bhacakra)؛ ولكل كوكب تُطبَّق بالطريقة نفسها المتَّبعة مع الشمس.

Word by Word

• अर्क-बाहु-फल-अभ्यस्ताः: applied using the Sun’s arm/scale and result
• अर्क-बाहु-फल-अभ्यस्ताः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier of implied ‘कलाः/रेखाः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यस्त (कृदन्त; √अस्/अभि-√अस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (past participle sense: ‘abhyasta’ = practiced/applied)

• ग्रह-भुक्ति-विभाजिताः: divided according to planetary motion (bhukti)
• ग्रह-भुक्ति-विभाजिताः: विशेषण (Qualifier of implied ‘कलाः/रेखाः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + विभाजित (कृदन्त; √भज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (PPP: ‘divided/partitioned’)

• भ-चक्र-कलिकाभिः: by the small divisions of the zodiac-circle
• भ-चक्र-कलिकाभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘कलिका’ = small divisions/marks

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• लिप्ताः: marked/smeared
• लिप्ताः: विशेषण (Qualifier of implied ‘कलाः/रेखाः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिप्त (कृदन्त; √लिप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कृदन्त (PPP: ‘smeared/marked’)

• कार्याः: should be made
• कार्याः: विधेय (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive: ‘to be done/made’)

• ग्रहे: in the planet (case of a planet)
• ग्रहे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अर्कवत्: like the Sun
• अर्कवत्: उपमान (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (indeclinable of comparison: ‘like/as’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Moksha-dharma discourse that also references technical applications)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Arka (Sun)
• Graha (planets)
• Bhacakra (zodiac)

FAQs

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

It frames remedial ritual action (graha-related practice) as a disciplined, rule-based application of sacred knowledge—showing that even technical rites should follow dharmic order and measured procedure.

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

Bhakti here is implied through obedience to scriptural injunctions: the devotee performs prescribed acts for harmony and clarity of mind, supporting steadiness in worship rather than treating remedies as mere superstition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology): the verse explicitly uses graha-bhukti (planetary sub-periods) and bhacakra (zodiacal divisions) to determine how a preparation is portioned and applied.