Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 121

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

Devanagari script

त्रिज्यागुणा दिनव्यासभक्ता चापं च शत्रवः । तत्कार्मुकमुदक्रांतौ धनहीनो पृथक्क्षते ॥ १२१ ॥

Transliteration

trijyāguṇā dinavyāsabhaktā cāpaṃ ca śatravaḥ | tatkārmukamudakrāṃtau dhanahīno pṛthakkṣate || 121 ||

Translation

Mit dem dreifachen Maß (trijyā) versehen und durch die Ausdehnung des Tages geteilt, beachte man auch den Bogen und die Feinde; wenn jener Bogen (kārmuka) aufgeht, erleidet der Besitzlose einen deutlichen, besonderen Schaden.

Word by Word

• त्रि-ज्या-गुणा: multiplied by the radius (trijyā)
• त्रि-ज्या-गुणा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्या (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (त्रिज्यया गुणा = multiplied by the radius/chord)

• दिन-व्यास-भक्ता: divided by the day-diameter
• दिन-व्यास-भक्ता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √भज् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘भक्त’ = divided; तत्पुरुषः (दिनव्यासेन भक्ता)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आपम्: water / āpa (quantity)
• आपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शत्रवः: enemies / opposing values
• शत्रवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तत्-कार्मुकम्: that bow (kārmuka)
• तत्-कार्मुकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कार्मुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य कार्मुकम्)

• उद-क्रान्तौ: in the rising (udakrānti)
• उद-क्रान्तौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद् (उपसर्ग) + क्रान्ति (प्रातिपदिक, √क्रम् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; ‘उदक्रान्ति’ = rising/ascending passage

• धन-हीनः: lacking the bowstring/wealth
• धन-हीनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धनेन हीनः)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• क्षते: is diminished / is reduced
• क्षते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षन्/√क्षि (धातु) (क्षत/क्षते)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु-रूप ‘क्षते’ (क्षय/हानि करोति—contextual)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical-interpretive register within the Moksha-Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It shows that the Purana’s moksha-oriented teaching also accommodates practical discernment: time-measures and omens (interpreted through jyotiṣa-like language) are used to understand how worldly conditions such as prosperity or harm arise through karma and circumstance.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting instability in wealth and the rise of adversities, it nudges the seeker toward non-dependence on material security and toward steadiness in dharma—conditions supportive of sustained Vishnu-bhakti even when outcomes fluctuate.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa-style technical vocabulary: trijyā (a geometrical/astronomical measure), dinavyāsa (day-length), and arc/bow terms (cāpa/kārmuka) used to frame predictive or interpretive statements about conditions like enmity and loss.