Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84

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

Devanagari script

तद्वर्गतो दशगुणात्पद भूपरिधिर्भवेत् । लंबज्याघ्नस्वजीवाप्तः स्फुटो भूपरिधिः स्वकः ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

tadvargato daśaguṇātpada bhūparidhirbhavet | laṃbajyāghnasvajīvāptaḥ sphuṭo bhūparidhiḥ svakaḥ || 84 ||

Translation

From ten times the square of that value, one obtains a step-wise (approximate) circumference of the earth. But the accurate circumference is obtained by multiplying by the sine of the zenith distance (lamba-jyā) and then dividing by one’s own jīva (sine) value.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• वर्गतः: from the group/class
• वर्गतः: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• दशगुणात्: from the tenfold (value)
• दशगुणात्: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशगुण (प्रातिपदिक: दश + गुण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; तद्धित/समासान्त विशेषण; components: दश (ten) + गुण (fold)

• पद: a step/measure (pada)
• पद: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• भू-परिधिः: earth’s circumference
• भू-परिधिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिधि (प्रातिपदिक) with भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भू (earth) + परिधि (circumference)

• भवेत्: should be/becomes
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लम्ब: perpendicular/height (lamba)
• लम्ब: समासाङ्ग (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; used as first member in compound

• ज्या: chord (jyā)
• ज्या: समासाङ्ग (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; used as compound member

• अघ्न: (technical) aghna-factor
• अघ्न: समासाङ्ग (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; used as compound member (technical term)

• स्व-जीव-आप्तः: obtained by one’s own jīva (value)
• स्व-जीव-आप्तः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आप्/आप्नोति धातु) with स्व + जीव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘obtained’; compound: स्व (own) + जीव (jīva/quantity) + आप्त (obtained)

• स्फुटः: clear/explicit
• स्फुटः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• भू-परिधिः: earth’s circumference
• भू-परिधिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिधि (प्रातिपदिक) with भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• स्वकः: one’s own/proper
• स्वकः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/astronomical context within Moksha-Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It shows that Narada Purana integrates dharma with disciplined knowledge—precision (sphuṭa) and correct method are themselves part of righteous learning that supports clarity of understanding.

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

Indirectly: it frames sacred study as orderly and exact, encouraging a devotee to approach Vishnu’s cosmos with reverence and intellectual honesty rather than guesswork.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa/gaṇita: the verse references jyā/jīva (sine) operations and distinguishes approximate versus accurate computations for determining bhū-paridhi (earth’s circumference).