Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 115

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

Devanagari script

ग्रहभक्तः फलं कार्यं ग्रहवन्मंदकर्मणि । कर्कादौ तद्धनं तत्र मकरादावृणं स्मृतम् ॥ ११५ ॥

Transliteration

grahabhaktaḥ phalaṃ kāryaṃ grahavanmaṃdakarmaṇi | karkādau taddhanaṃ tatra makarādāvṛṇaṃ smṛtam || 115 ||

Translation

Wer den planetarischen Gottheiten (Grahās) in Bhakti zugetan ist, soll das Ergebnis gemäß dem Einfluss des betreffenden Planeten deuten, besonders wenn das Karma schwach oder mangelhaft ist. Von Karka (Krebs) an heißt es, es weise dort auf Reichtum; von Makara (Steinbock) an wird überliefert, es weise auf Schuld hin.

Word by Word

• ग्रह-भक्तः: divided by the planet
• ग्रह-भक्तः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘फलम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (कृदन्त; √भज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (PPP: ‘divided by the planet’)

• फलम्: result
• फलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• कार्यम्: is to be made
• कार्यम्: विधेय (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive: ‘to be made’)

• ग्रहवत्: as (in the case of) a planet
• ग्रहवत्: उपमान/रीति (Manner/Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (‘like a planet/planet-wise’)

• मन्द-कर्मणि: in the slow-motion case
• मन्द-कर्मणि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘मन्दकर्म’ = slow-motion case

• कर्क-आदौ: in (signs) beginning with Cancer
• कर्क-आदौ: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘-आदौ’ = ‘beginning with …’

• तत्-धनम्: that is ‘positive’ (wealth)
• तत्-धनम्: विधेय (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that (is) positive/wealth’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adverbial locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there/in that case’)

• मकर-आदौ: in (signs) beginning with Capricorn
• मकर-आदौ: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ऋणम्: negative (debt)
• ऋणम्: विधेय (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is stated
• स्मृतम्: क्रिया (Predicative verbal sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त; √स्मृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively: ‘is said/considered’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Grahas

FAQs

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

It frames jyotiṣa (astrological judgment) as a karma-sensitive tool: when one’s effort or merit is weak, outcomes are read through graha-influence, reminding the seeker to refine conduct and remedies rather than blaming fate.

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

It acknowledges “graha-bhakti” (devotion to planetary deities) as a practical devotional orientation for managing worldly outcomes, while still placing results under the broader law of karma—supporting disciplined life as an aid to dharma and moksha.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga: a rule-of-thumb classification linking sign ranges (from Karka onward vs. from Makara onward) to likely outcomes—wealth (dhana) versus debt (ṛṇa)—used in phala-nirṇaya (predictive assessment).