Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

रेखाप्रतीचिसंस्थाने प्रक्षिपेत्स्युः स्वदेशतः । राक्षसातपदेवौकः शैलयोर्मध्यसूत्रगाः ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

rekhāpratīcisaṃsthāne prakṣipetsyuḥ svadeśataḥ | rākṣasātapadevaukaḥ śailayormadhyasūtragāḥ || 86 ||

Translation

From one’s own region, one should project (place) them in the arrangement of the western line: the dwellings of the Rākṣasas, the Ātapas, and the Devas are to be set along the middle cord between the two mountains.

Word by Word

• रेखा-प्रतीचि-संस्थाने: in the westward line-position
• रेखा-प्रतीचि-संस्थाने: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक) with रेखा + प्रतीचि
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: रेखा (line) + प्रतीचि (westward) + संस्थान (position)

• प्रक्षिपेत्: should project/insert
• प्रक्षिपेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्युः: would be/should be
• स्युः: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्व-देशतः: from one’s own country/place
• स्व-देशतः: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय) with स्व
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त; compound: स्व (own) + देशतः (from one’s place)

• राक्षस-आतप-देव-ओकः: the abode of Rākṣasa, Ātapa, and Deva (named points)
• राक्षस-आतप-देव-ओकः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओकस्/ओकः (प्रातिपदिक) with राक्षस + आतप + देव
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: राक्षस (demon) + आतप (sun-heat) + देव (god) + ओकः (abode)

• शैलयोः: of the two mountains
• शैलयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6/7), द्विवचन; here genitive ‘of the two mountains’

• मध्य-सूत्र-गाः: lying on the middle line
• मध्य-सूत्र-गाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; गम् धातु, क्त/णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त ‘going’) with मध्य + सूत्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; compound: मध्य (middle) + सूत्र (line) + गाः (going/lying on)

Speaker

Sage Narada (teaching in a technical/applied register within Moksha-Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Deva
• Raksasa

FAQs

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

It links inner order (dharma leading to moksha) with outer order by prescribing precise directional and spatial placement—showing that sacred understanding includes correctly perceiving the world’s structured, dharmic layout.

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

While not directly a bhakti verse, it supports bhakti practice indirectly: devotion in the Narada Purana is often paired with disciplined knowledge (jñāna) and correct procedure; orderly sacred orientation helps sustain reverence and steadiness in worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied directional/positional knowledge akin to Jyotiṣa-style orientation and traditional spatial schemata (rekhā, sūtra, pratīci), used for correct placement and understanding of cosmographic divisions.