Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 168

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

Devanagari script

तृणस्वर्णाश्वधोरणाद्यैरर्कांशे वृत्तिमादिशेत् । कृष्यंबुजस्रीभ्योब्जांशे कौजे धात्वस्रसाहसैः ॥ १६८ ॥

Transliteration

tṛṇasvarṇāśvadhoraṇādyairarkāṃśe vṛttimādiśet | kṛṣyaṃbujasrībhyobjāṃśe kauje dhātvasrasāhasaiḥ || 168 ||

Translation

In der Sonnen‑Teilung (arkāṃśa) weist man den Lebensunterhalt aus, der mit Gras/Futter, Gold, Pferden und Ähnlichem verbunden ist. In der Mond‑Teilung (abjāṃśa) kommt der Erwerb durch Landwirtschaft, Wasser und Wohlstand; in der Mars‑Teilung (kauja) durch Metalle, Blutvergießen und kühne Unternehmungen.

Word by Word

• तृण-स्वर्ण-अश्व-धोरण-आद्यैः: by grass, gold, horses, ropes, etc.
• तृण-स्वर्ण-अश्व-धोरण-आद्यैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण + स्वर्ण + अश्व + धोरण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘आद्य’ = etc.), instrumental—‘by/with’

• अर्क-अंशे: in the Sun’s portion (arkāṃśa)
• अर्क-अंशे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘of the Sun’ + ‘portion’); locative—‘in/at’

• वृत्तिम्: livelihood/occupation
• वृत्तिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आदिशेत्: should prescribe/indicate
• आदिशेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कृषि-अम्बुज-श्रीभ्यः: from agriculture, lotus, and prosperity
• कृषि-अम्बुज-श्रीभ्यः: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि + अम्बुज + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः; ablative—‘from/than’

• अब्ज-अंशे: in the lotus portion (abjāṃśa)
• अब्ज-अंशे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्ज + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘of the lotus’ + ‘portion’)

• कौजे: in (the portion of) Mars
• कौजे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘of Kuja/Mars’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• धातु-अस्र-साहसैः: by minerals/metals, weapons, and daring/violence
• धातु-अस्र-साहसैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु + अस्र + साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः; instrumental

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/indicative mode within the Moksha Dharma section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Arka)
• Chandra (Abja)
• Mangala (Kuja)

FAQs

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

It frames livelihood (vṛtti) as part of one’s karmic pattern, suggesting that worldly work can be read as an outcome of prior tendencies and should be aligned with dharma rather than mere desire.

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

Indirectly: by classifying occupations as karmically conditioned, it encourages performing one’s allotted work without ego and offering its fruits—an attitude that supports steady Vishnu-bhakti even while engaged in worldly duties.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa: using planetary divisions (Sun/Moon/Mars indicators) to infer vocational tendencies—e.g., Sun with gold/horses, Moon with agriculture/water/wealth, and Mars with metals and risky or forceful enterprises.