Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 164

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

Devanagari script

अंशस्तैर्विंत्रिभंद्विस्थंलंबनेतयोः पूर्ववत् । संस्कृतेस्ताभ्यां स्थित्यर्द्धे भवतः स्फुटे ॥ १६४ ॥

Transliteration

aṃśastairviṃtribhaṃdvisthaṃlaṃbanetayoḥ pūrvavat | saṃskṛtestābhyāṃ sthityarddhe bhavataḥ sphuṭe || 164 ||

Translation

By those degrees, place the result in the second position within the triad; and in computing the two declinations proceed as before. From those two, at the midpoint of their steadiness, the true value becomes clearly manifest.

Word by Word

• aṃśaḥ: a part; a degree/portion
• aṃśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• taiḥ: by those; with those
• taiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• viṃtri-bham: (a measure of) twenty-three bha-units
• viṃtri-bham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṃśati + tri + bha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu compound indicating number

• dvi-stham: situated in two (places/parts)
• dvi-stham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘situated in two’

• laṃbane: in the two elongations/offsets (lambana)
• laṃbane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṃbana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Dual (द्विवचन)

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन)

• pūrvavat: as before; in the former manner
• pūrvavat: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvavat (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)

• saṃskṛteḥ: from the correction/adjustment (saṃskṛti)
• saṃskṛteḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃskṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन)

• tābhyām: by those two
• tābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Dual (द्विवचन)

• sthiti-arddhe: in the half-position; at the midpoint of the state
• sthiti-arddhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘in the half of the position/standing’

• bhavataḥ: (the two) become/occur
• bhavataḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन)

• sphuṭe: clearly; distinctly
• sphuṭe: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphuṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially ‘clearly’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

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 emphasizes śāstric precision—right knowledge requires refined (saṃskṛta) calculation so that the true (sphuṭa) result becomes clear, supporting correct dharma and disciplined practice.

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

Indirectly: accurate time-reckoning and correct determinations support proper observance of vows, festivals, and worship timings, which stabilize devotional practice even while the verse itself is technical.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa—procedural computation using aṃśa (degrees), laṃbana (declination), and deriving a sphuṭa (true/accurate) value via a midpoint (sthityarddha) step.