Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 151

Jyotiṣa-saṅgraha: Varga-vibhāga, Bala-nirṇaya, Garbha-phala, Āyuḥ-gaṇanā

Devanagari script

प्राग्ध्वांक्षा बंधु मृत्याय तयोर्द्यूने रविः स्वभात् । वक्रात्स्वादिवसाञ्चार्के शुक्राद्यूनां तु षड्रतः ॥ १५१ ॥

Transliteration

prāgdhvāṃkṣā baṃdhu mṛtyāya tayordyūne raviḥ svabhāt | vakrātsvādivasāñcārke śukrādyūnāṃ tu ṣaḍrataḥ || 151 ||

Translation

Wenn der Mondtag (tithi) in der östlichen Hälfte steht und abnimmt, gilt dies als unheilvoll für die Verwandten und kann zum Tod führen. In derselben Tagesabteilung leuchtet die Sonne aus eigenem Glanz. Und wenn der Lauf der Sonne rückläufig wird, beginnend mit dem Tag namens „Svādi“, werden die Zeitmaße (rata) für Venus und die übrigen Planeten als sechsfach bezeichnet.

Word by Word

• prāk-dhvāṃkṣāḥ: eastern crows
• prāk-dhvāṃkṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāk (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + dhvāṃkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव — ‘प्राक्-ध्वाङ्क्षाः’ (eastern crows)

• bandhu: a kinsman/relative
• bandhu: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; used as predicate/object ‘kinsman/relative’

• mṛtyāya: for death (leading to death)
• mṛtyāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case, Dative), एकवचन

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन; ‘of those two’

• dyūne: in the dyūna (7th house)
• dyūne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dyūna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; technical term (astrological)

• raviḥ: the Sun
• raviḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sva-bhāt: shines by itself/with its own light
• sva-bhāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhā (धातु √bhā)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √bhā ‘to shine’ with sva- (own) as adverbial qualifier; form interpreted as ‘(he) shines by himself/with own light’

• vakrāt: from retrogression
• vakrāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; ‘from retrogression/crookedness’

• sva-ādi-vasān: its own and other abodes (technical)
• sva-ādi-vasān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + vasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष — ‘स्वादीन् वसान्’ (own etc. dwellings/abodes); context technical/obscure

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• arke: in the Sun (case)
• arke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the Sun/when Sun is (there)’

• śukra-ādi-yūnām: of Venus and others (in the dyūna context)
• śukra-ādi-yūnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + yūna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष — ‘शुक्रादीनां यūनां’ (of Venus etc. dyūnas/7th-house indications)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषण-अव्यय (particle)

• ṣaṭ-rataḥ: sixfold-attached (technical)
• ṣaṭ-rataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु — ‘षड्रतः’ (having six delights/attached to six); technical/obscure

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/vedāṅga-leaning passage within Moksha-Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sun)
• Shukra (Venus)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes dharma through right timing (kāla-śuddhi): actions aligned with auspicious calendrical and astronomical conditions support wellbeing and reduce harmful outcomes, which is treated as a practical aid within Moksha-Dharma.

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

While not directly preaching bhakti, it supports devotional life by prescribing time-awareness for rites and observances; orderly worship and vrata performed at proper times are presented as strengthening dharmic discipline that complements Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy): it references day/tithi-based auspiciousness, the Sun’s course including retrograde reckoning, and a technical sixfold measure/classification applied to Venus and other planets.