Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 157

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

Devanagari script

इष्टैः पलैस्तदूनाढ्यं व्यगावूनेऽर्कषङ्गुणः । तदन्यथाधिके तस्मिन्नेवं स्पष्टे सुखांत्यगे ॥ १५७ ॥

Transliteration

iṣṭaiḥ palaistadūnāḍhyaṃ vyagāvūne'rkaṣaṅguṇaḥ | tadanyathādhike tasminnevaṃ spaṣṭe sukhāṃtyage || 157 ||

Translation

Wenn die vorgeschriebene Zahl der palas zu gering oder zu groß ist, wird das Ergebnis entsprechend fehlerhaft; und wenn der Mangel einem vyagāva entspricht, wird das Resultat mit dem Sonnenfaktor sechs multipliziert. Ist es hingegen im Überschuss, wird das Ergebnis dementsprechend abgeändert—so ist die Rechnung klar dargelegt und endet in der Zuteilung des Genusses (weltliche Frucht).

Word by Word

• इष्टैः: with desired/approved (ones)
• इष्टैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (√इष्/√यज्?; सामान्यतः √इष् ‘desire’/√यज् ‘worship’ क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘desired/approved’

• पलैः: with palas (weights)
• पलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (usage varies), तृतीया, बहुवचन; weight-unit ‘pala’

• तत्-ऊन-आढ्यम्: that deficiency-adjusted amount
• तत्-ऊन-आढ्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + ऊन (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष; ‘rich by that deficiency’ / ‘deficiency-adjusted’ (technical)

• व्यगावूने: in/with vyagāvūna (technical, uncertain)
• व्यगावूने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यगावून (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; technical term (uncertain)

• अर्क-षङ्-गुणः: sixfold (factor) of arka
• अर्क-षङ्-गुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + षङ् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष; ‘sixfold of arka’ / ‘sun ×6’

• तत्-अन्यथा-अधिके: in the case of being otherwise greater
• तत्-अन्यथा-अधिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + अन्यथा (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-भाव) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष; ‘when it is otherwise greater’

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus’)

• स्पष्टे: when clear / in the clear case
• स्पष्टे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन (or प्रथमा द्विवचन in other contexts); here locative agreeing with तस्मिन्; ‘clear/explicit’

• सुख-अन्त्यगे: at the comfortable end / in the easy terminal case
• सुख-अन्त्यगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त्यग (प्रातिपदिक; अन्त्य + ग ‘going/ending’)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष; ‘at the end-point of ease/comfort’ (technical phrase)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Arka (Surya)

FAQs

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

It stresses that karmic rites yield results according to precision: even small errors in measure change the fruit, showing why disciplined, rule-based practice is required before higher moksha-oriented absorption.

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

Indirectly, it contrasts mechanical phala-seeking with clarity about outcomes; such clarity helps a practitioner move from calculating pleasures (sukha) toward offering actions to the Divine without attachment—supportive of mature Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedanga-style ritual computation and metrology: using standardized measures (pala, vyagāva) and rule-based multipliers (e.g., sixfold via Arka/Sun factor) to determine how deficiency or excess alters ritual phala.