Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 165

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

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां हीनयुतो मध्यदर्शः कालौ मुखांतगौ । अर्काद्यूना विश्व ईशा नवपंचदशांशकाः ॥ १६५ ॥

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ hīnayuto madhyadarśaḥ kālau mukhāṃtagau | arkādyūnā viśva īśā navapaṃcadaśāṃśakāḥ || 165 ||

Translation

Wenn man durch diese beiden vermindert und vermehrt, erhält man die Rechnung des «Mitte-Sehens»; und die Zeit ist als mit Anfang (mukha) und Ende (anta) zu verstehen. Vom Sonnenmaß an werden die kosmischen Maße als neun und fünfzehn Teile (aṃśa) angegeben.

Word by Word

• tābhyām: by those two
• tābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Dual (द्विवचन)

• hīna-yutaḥ: reduced and increased; adjusted by subtraction/addition
• hīna-yutaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hīna + yuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya ‘subtracted-and-added/adjusted’

• madhya-darśaḥ: the mean (middle) value/indicator
• madhya-darśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya + darśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘middle-indicator/mean value’

• kālau: the two times/periods
• kālau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन)

• mukha-anta-gau: reaching the beginning and the end
• mukha-anta-gau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukha + anta + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘going to the beginning and end’

• arka-ādi-ūnāḥ: reduced by arka etc. (sun etc.)
• arka-ādi-ūnāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arka + ādi + ūna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘less by (starting from) arka etc.’

• viśve: the two Viśve (Viśve-devas)
• viśve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन)

• īśāḥ: lords; rulers
• īśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nava-paṃcadaśa-aṃśakāḥ: (values) of 9 and 15 parts
• nava-paṃcadaśa-aṃśakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nava + paṃcadaśa + aṃśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); dvigu ‘(having) nine and fifteen parts’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/disciplinary passage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Arka (Sun)
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

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

It frames kāla (time) as a measurable, ordered principle with a beginning and end, supporting disciplined understanding of the cosmos—an aid to viveka (discernment) that underlies Moksha-Dharma.

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

Indirectly: by teaching accurate reckoning of kāla and cosmic order (often used to time vrata and worship), it supports orderly devotional practice even though the verse itself is technical rather than emotive bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa-style computation: using addition/subtraction to derive a ‘middle’ (madhya) measure and describing divisions (aṃśas) anchored ‘from the Sun onward’ for time/cosmic reckoning.