Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 100

Graha–Ketu–Utpāta Lakṣaṇas: Solar/Lunar Omens, Comets, Eclipses, and Calendar Rules

Devanagari script

वंसुकबिंबक्षितजच्छुकतुंडादिसन्निभाः । हुताशनोदितास्तेऽपि केतवः फलदाः स्मृताः 1. ॥ १०० ॥

Transliteration

vaṃsukabiṃbakṣitajacchukatuṃḍādisannibhāḥ | hutāśanoditāste'pi ketavaḥ phaladāḥ smṛtāḥ 1. || 100 ||

Translation

Jene Ketu, die Bambussprossen, einem Kürbis, einem Erdklumpen, dem Schnabel eines Papageis und dergleichen ähneln—selbst wenn sie aus der Richtung des Feuers aufsteigen—werden als Spender von Wirkungen und Früchten überliefert.

Word by Word

• वंसुकबिंबक्षितजच्छुकतुंडादिसन्निभाः: resembling bamboo, bimba, (earth-)red, bird-beak, etc.
• वंसुकबिंबक्षितजच्छुकतुंडादिसन्निभाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वंसुक + बिंब + क्षितज + छुका/छुक + तुण्ड + आदि + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: '...आदिभिः सन्निभाः' (resembling bamboo, bimba, earth-born?, bird-beak etc.); 'आदि' = etc.

• हुताशनोदिताः: arisen from fire
• हुताशनोदिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुताशन + उदित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'हुताशनेन/हुताशनात् उदिताः' (arisen from/with fire)

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); 'also/even'

• केतवः: comets/ketus
• केतवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• फलदाः: fruit-giving
• फलदाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'फलं ददाति'

• स्मृताः: are said/considered
• स्मृताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'are said/remembered as' (passive sense)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga-style astrological/omen context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ketu
• Agni (Hutashana)

FAQs

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

It treats celestial portents (Ketus) as meaningful nimittas—events that “yield results”—encouraging discernment and dharmic response rather than fear, aligning technical knowledge with righteous living.

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

While not directly a bhakti instruction, it supports a devotional worldview where cosmic phenomena are not random; a devotee responds by strengthening dharma—often through prayer, japa, and Vishnu-oriented rites—rather than panic.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedanga Jyotisha/omen-reading: classifying Ketus by visible shape (bamboo-shoot, gourd, clod, parrot-beak, etc.) and by their mode/direction of arising (here, linked with “fire/Agni”) to infer their phala (effects).