Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

अग्निप्रदस्तेयचरवनसर्पविनाशकृत् । विशाखा मित्रयोर्याम्यपार्श्वगः पापगः शशी ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

agnipradasteyacaravanasarpavināśakṛt | viśākhā mitrayoryāmyapārśvagaḥ pāpagaḥ śaśī || 21 ||

Translation

বিশাখা নক্ষত্ৰত চন্দ্ৰ থাকিলে অগ্নিদাহ, চৌৰ্য, চলমান জীৱ, বন আৰু সৰ্পৰ বিনাশ ঘটায় বুলি কোৱা হয়। তেতিয়া চন্দ্ৰ দুয়ো ‘মিত্ৰ’ দেৱতাৰ দক্ষিণ পাৰ্শ্বে গতি কৰি পাপকাৰী আৰু অশুভ বুলি গণ্য হয়।

Word by Word

• अग्नि-प्रद-स्तेय-चर-वन-सर्प-विनाश-कृत्: destroyer of fire-givers, thieves, spies/raiders, forest-serpents, etc.
• अग्नि-प्रद-स्तेय-चर-वन-सर्प-विनाश-कृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृ धातु, कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (कृत्), विशेषणरूपेण; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (विनाशं करोतीति विनाशकृत्; अग्निप्रद-स्तेय-चर-वन-सर्प इत्यादीनां विनाशकृत्)

• विशाखा: (in) Viśākhā (nakṣatra)
• विशाखा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नक्षत्रनाम

• मित्रयोः: of the two Mitras
• मित्रयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; ‘of the two Mitras’ (dual)

• याम्य-पार्श्व-गः: going/being on the southern side
• याम्य-पार्श्व-गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (गम् धातु, कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘ग’ (going/being) कृतान्त; तत्पुरुषः—याम्ये पार्श्वे गः

• पाप-गः: bringing/going to sin; inauspicious-going
• पाप-गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (गम् धातु, कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—पापं गच्छतीति/पापे गः

• शशी: the Moon
• शशी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन्/शशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; चन्द्रनाम

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shashi (Chandra/Moon)
• Vishakha (Nakshatra)
• Mitra (dual deities)

FAQs

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

It frames Jyotiṣa as a dharmic aid: the Moon’s placement in Viśākhā is marked as inauspicious, warning a practitioner to avoid or pacify adverse timings so that spiritual and ritual efforts are not obstructed.

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

Indirectly: by advising caution about inauspicious lunar conditions, it supports steady sādhana—devotional practices are best protected by choosing favorable times or performing prāyaścitta/śānti when a “pāpa-ga” transit is indicated.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology): it assigns a specific nakṣatra (Viśākhā) and describes the Moon’s inauspicious status and associated negative outcomes, guiding ritual timing and remedial observances.