Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 154

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

Devanagari script

तेषां शिवघ्नाः शैलाप्ता व्यावर्काजः शरोंगुलैः । अर्कं विधुर्विधुं भूभा छादयत्यथा छन्नकम् ॥ १५४ ॥

Transliteration

teṣāṃ śivaghnāḥ śailāptā vyāvarkājaḥ śaroṃgulaiḥ | arkaṃ vidhurvidhuṃ bhūbhā chādayatyathā channakam || 154 ||

Translation

وكان فيهم أعداءٌ قاتلو شِيفا، مولودون من الجبال، ضارون كذئابٍ في شراستهم؛ وبسهامٍ مقيسةٍ بمقدار فُرجة الإصبع أسقطوا الشمس؛ وكما يحجب بهاءُ الأرض القمرَ، كذلك احتُجب القمر كأنه مُغطّى بسترٍ.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• शिव-घ्नाः: slayers of Śiva / Śiva-killers
• शिव-घ्नाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; घ्न = हन्तृ-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative)

• शैल-आप्ताः: having reached/obtained the mountain
• शैल-आप्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैल + आप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आप्त = √आप्/आप्नु (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), ‘obtained/reached’; तत्पुरुष (determinative)

• व्यावर्काजः: Vyāvarkāja (proper name/term)
• व्यावर्काजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यावर्काज (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम/दुर्लभ-प्रातिपदिक (uncertain etymology)

• शर-अङ्गुलैः: with arrow-fingers / by arrow-length units
• शर-अङ्गुलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासपद (as compound), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative)

• अर्कम्: the sun
• अर्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• विधुः: the moon
• विधुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विधुम्: the moon (as object)
• विधुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भू-भा: earth-light / terrestrial radiance
• भू-भा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू + भा (प्रातिपदिक; भा = ‘light/splendour’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative)

• छादयति: covers
• छादयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छाद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अथा: then / just as
• अथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद/समुच्चयार्थ-निपात (particle: ‘then/just as’)

• छन्नकम्: a covering / something covered
• छन्नकम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्नक (प्रातिपदिक; छन्न = √छद् क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘covered thing/covering’

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara brothers; Moksha-dharma narrative style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Surya (Arka)
• Chandra (Vidhu)

FAQs

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

It uses the obscuring of the sun and moon as a symbolic warning: when destructive, anti-dharmic forces rise, even the ‘lights’ of discernment and order appear veiled—urging the seeker to take refuge in dharma and mokṣa-oriented conduct.

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

Indirectly, it frames a world where cosmic order can be ‘covered’; Bhakti (especially Viṣṇu-bhakti emphasized across Book 1.2) is presented in this section as a stabilizing refuge when external conditions become darkened and confusing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse employs precise metrical/measurement language (aṅgula) and astronomical imagery (Sun/Moon obscuration), resonating with Vedāṅga concerns like Jyotiṣa (celestial phenomena) and Kalpa-style precision in measures—even within a Purāṇic narrative.