Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 166

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

Devanagari script

कालांशास्तैरूनयुक्ते रवौ ह्यस्तोदयौ विधोः । दृष्ट्वा ह्यादौ खेटबिंबं दृगौञ्च्ये लंबमीक्ष्य च ॥ १६६ ॥

Transliteration

kālāṃśāstairūnayukte ravau hyastodayau vidhoḥ | dṛṣṭvā hyādau kheṭabiṃbaṃ dṛgauñcye laṃbamīkṣya ca || 166 ||

Translation

إذا ضُبِطَ نصيبُ الزمن (kālāṃśa) للشمس ضبطًا صحيحًا بالطرح والجمع، وجب تعيين غروب القمر وطلوعه. أولًا، بعد رصد قرص الكوكب/القمر، تُلاحظ أيضًا الخط العمودي (lamba) بمحاذاة النظر.

Word by Word

• kāla-aṃśāḥ: time-parts; temporal portions
• kāla-aṃśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘parts of time’

• taiḥ: by those
• taiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ūna-yukte: in the reduced-and-adjusted (value)
• ūna-yukte: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūna + yukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya ‘reduced and joined/adjusted’

• ravau: in/for the Sun
• ravau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle/emphasis (निपात)

• asta-udayau: setting and rising
• asta-udayau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asta + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन); dvandva ‘setting and rising’

• vidhoḥ: of the Moon
• vidhoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• dṛṣṭvā: having observed
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव), ‘having seen’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle/emphasis (निपात)

• ādau: at first; in the beginning
• ādau: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• kheṭa-bimbaṃ: the orb/disc of the planet
• kheṭa-bimbaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kheṭa + bimba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘planet-disc/orb’

• dṛgauñcye: in the visual measure (dṛg-auñcya)
• dṛgauñcye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛg + auñcya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘in the eye-measure/visual lifting (auñcya)’

• laṃbam: the perpendicular/offset (lamba)
• laṃbam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṃba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• īkṣya: having examined
• īkṣya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव), ‘having looked at’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada on technical procedure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It treats disciplined observation and correct time‑reckoning (kāla-gananā) as part of dharmic order, showing that accurate knowledge of time supports right ritual timing and a life aligned with cosmic law.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing correct determination of lunar timings, it supports proper observance of vows and worship schedules (often lunar-based), which strengthens steady devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa—using kālāṃśa corrections and direct sighting of the luminary’s disc, along with vertical (laṃba) alignment, to determine the Moon’s rising and setting.