Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 185

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

Devanagari script

पातकालः स्फुटो मध्यः सोऽपि स्थित्यर्द्धवर्जितः । तस्य संभवकालः स्यात्तत्संयोगेक्तसंज्ञकः ॥ १८५ ॥

Transliteration

pātakālaḥ sphuṭo madhyaḥ so'pi sthityarddhavarjitaḥ | tasya saṃbhavakālaḥ syāttatsaṃyogektasaṃjñakaḥ || 185 ||

Translation

Die „Pātakāla“ ist die klar bestimmte Mitte (der Augenblick); selbst dieser ist von der halben Dauer des Verweilens abgezogen. Die Zeit ihres Auftretens heißt im Fachgebrauch die „benannte Konjunktion“ (saṃyoga).

Word by Word

• पात-कालः: the time of fall (pāta-kāla)
• पात-कालः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (पातस्य कालः) — Nominative singular

• स्फुटः: clear, exact
• स्फुटः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — qualifies ‘पातकालः’

• मध्यः: middle
• मध्यः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘middle’ (as predicate/qualifier)

• सः: that (he/it)
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Pronoun

• अपि: also
• अपि: समुच्चय/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — ‘also/even’

• स्थिति-अर्ध-वर्जितः: excluding half of the duration
• स्थिति-अर्ध-वर्जितः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (√वृज्/वर्ज् कृदन्त, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (स्थित्याः अर्धं वर्जितः/रहितः) — ‘devoid of half the sthiti’

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular

• संभव-कालः: time of occurrence
• संभव-कालः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संभव (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (संभवस्य कालः) — Nominative singular

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — may be/should be

• तत्-संयोग-एक्त-संज्ञकः: having the name ‘…’ in that conjunction
• तत्-संयोग-एक्त-संज्ञकः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + संयोग (प्रातिपदिक) + एक्त (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ) + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास — ‘having the designation called … in that conjunction’; ‘एक्त’ पदं दुरूह/पाठभेदसंभाव्य

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada, technical exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes precision (sphuṭatā) in understanding time and causation—subtle discernment that supports disciplined practice and right timing in dharma, which ultimately aids steadiness on the moksha-oriented path.

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

Indirectly: by clarifying technical notions of time and conjunction, it supports correct observance of devotional vows and ritual timings (e.g., vrata and pūjā schedules), which in Purāṇic practice are treated as aids to sustained Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa: the verse uses technical language for defining a precise mid-instant and its ‘conjunction’ (saṃyoga), relevant to calendrical/astronomical computation and ritual timing.