Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 187

Graha–Ketu–Utpāta Lakṣaṇas: Solar/Lunar Omens, Comets, Eclipses, and Calendar Rules

Devanagari script

भवेद्भत्रितयं मूर्ध्नि धान्यनाशाय राहुभात् । गले त्रयं कज्जलाय वृद्ध्यै च द्वादशोदरे ॥ १८७ ॥

Transliteration

bhavedbhatritayaṃ mūrdhni dhānyanāśāya rāhubhāt | gale trayaṃ kajjalāya vṛddhyai ca dvādaśodare || 187 ||

Translation

إن ظهرت ثلاث علامات على الرأس بسبب أذى راهو (Rāhu) دلّ ذلك على ضياع الحبوب. وإن ظهرت ثلاث على الحلق أنبأت بسوادٍ كالسُّخام؛ وإن ظهرت اثنتا عشرة على البطن دلّت على الزيادة والنماء.

Word by Word

• bhavet: should be / may occur
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bha-tritayam: a triad (set of three) of nakṣatras
• bha-tritayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bha (प्रातिपदिक) + tritaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘a triad of bha-s / nakṣatras’)

• mūrdhni: on the head
• mūrdhni: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• dhānya-nāśāya: for the loss of crops
• dhānya-nāśāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhānya (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘for destruction of grain/crops’)

• rāhu-bhāt: from (the) Rāhu group
• rāhu-bhāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāhu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘from Rāhu’s bha/group’)

• gale: in the throat
• gale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• trayam: a set of three
• trayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (collective ‘three’)

• kajjalāya: for soot/blackening
• kajjalāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kajjala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• vṛddhyai: for increase/growth
• vṛddhyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• dvādaśa-udare: in the twelfth (abdominal) region
• dvādaśa-udare: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (‘in the twelve(-fold) abdomen’ i.e., at the twelfth position/region)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a technical/omens-astrology context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rahu

FAQs

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

It frames worldly outcomes (loss or increase) as readable signs within Jyotiṣa-style diagnostics, encouraging vigilance, remedial action, and disciplined living rather than fatalism.

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

While the verse is primarily technical (omens/planetary affliction), its implied response in the Purāṇic framework is to seek protection through dharma and devotion—turning anxiety about harm (like Rāhu-affliction) into reliance on sacred remedies and worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology): correlating specific bodily marks/locations and counts with predicted results, especially effects attributed to Rāhu and indications of loss or growth.