Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

घनं च विषमादेवं घनमूलं मुर्हुभवेत् । अन्योन्यहारनिहतौ हरांशौ तु समुच्छिदा ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

ghanaṃ ca viṣamādevaṃ ghanamūlaṃ murhubhavet | anyonyahāranihatau harāṃśau tu samucchidā || 21 ||

Translation

So wird, wenn man von einer ungeraden Größe den Kubus (die Potenz) nimmt, nach der vorgeschriebenen Methode immer wieder ihre Kubikwurzel gewonnen. Und wenn Divisor und Dividend (oder ihre Teile) durch den jeweiligen Divisor des anderen einander aufheben, werden Divisor und Bruchteil vollständig gekürzt (aufgelöst).

Word by Word

• घनम्: cube
• घनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विषमात्: from the odd (term)
• विषमात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• घन-मूलम्: cube-root
• घन-मूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘cube-root’

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of frequency)

• भवेत्: should become/occur
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अन्योन्य-हार-निहतौ: in the case of mutual division/reduction (of two)
• अन्योन्य-हार-निहतौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हार (प्रातिपदिक) + नि + हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative chain); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, द्विवचन; ‘when (two) are mutually divided and reduced/struck’

• हर-अंशौ: the divisor-parts (two terms)
• हर-अंशौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘divisor-parts’

• तु: however
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• समुच्छिदा: by complete elimination/cancellation
• समुच्छिदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + उच्छिद् (धातु) + घञ्/आ (प्रातिपदिक: समुच्छिद्/समुच्छिदा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन; साधनवाचक (by means of complete cutting off/elimination)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in an instructional sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It shows that Moksha-oriented instruction in the Narada Purana also preserves shastric discipline: clarity of method, repeated practice, and precise reduction—habits that support steadiness of mind for dharma and liberation.

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

Indirectly: the verse models careful, rule-based practice (abhyāsa). The same steadiness and exactness are expected in Vishnu-bhakti—regular repetition and removal of “remainders” like doubt and distraction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights computational procedure—cube-root extraction and cancellation/reduction of parts—skills aligned with the technical tradition that supports Vedanga disciplines (especially Jyotisha’s arithmetic foundations).