Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 132

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

Devanagari script

चतुरस्तं बहिः कुर्यात्सूत्रैर्मध्याद्विनिःसृतैः । भुजसूत्रांगुलैस्तत्र दत्तैरिष्टप्रभा मता ॥ १३२ ॥

Transliteration

caturastaṃ bahiḥ kuryātsūtrairmadhyādviniḥsṛtaiḥ | bhujasūtrāṃgulaistatra dattairiṣṭaprabhā matā || 132 ||

Translation

Vom Mittelpunkt aus ziehe man Fäden nach außen und bilde außen ein Quadrat. Wenn dort die Seitenfäden in Fingermaßen abgesetzt sind, gilt die gewünschte Ausstrahlung bzw. rechte Proportion als erreicht.

Word by Word

• चतुरस्तम्: a square
• चतुरस्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुरस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: outside)

• कुर्यात्: should make
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (Kriya/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूत्रैः: with threads/strings
• सूत्रैः: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करणत्वे

• मध्यात्: from the middle
• मध्यात्: अपादान (Apadana/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• विनिःसृतैः: having come out/extended
• विनिःसृतैः: विशेषण (Visheshana/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृ (धातु) + वि-निः (उपसर्गौ) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying सूत्रैः)

• भुज: side/arm (of the square)
• भुज: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-सम्बन्ध)

• सूत्र: thread
• सूत्र: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-सम्बन्ध)

• अङ्गुलैः: by finger-units (aṅgulas)
• अङ्गुलैः: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• दत्तैः: given/assigned
• दत्तैः: विशेषण (Visheshana/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अङ्गुलैः)

• इष्ट: desired/appropriate
• इष्ट: विशेषण (Visheshana/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying प्रभा)

• प्रभा: splendour/brightness (measure/standard)
• प्रभा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मता: is considered
• मता: क्रिया (Kriya/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (considered)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that sacred practice is supported by precision—correct proportion and measured layout help stabilize the mind and make the ritual form (and its “radiance”) fit for contemplative worship.

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

Bhakti is expressed not only through feeling but also through careful offering; constructing the worship-space/diagram properly is a disciplined service (seva) that supports focused remembrance of the deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights measurement and layout principles using sūtra (cord) and aṅgula (finger-unit), aligning with technical disciplines used in ritual construction and traditional applied geometry.