Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 143

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

Devanagari script

शुभगो यद्भगस्तद्भिस्न्वादिस्थेन तद्धिकृत् । प्रोक्तेतरस्थानगतस्तत्तद्भावक्षयं करः ॥ १४३ ॥

Transliteration

śubhago yadbhagastadbhisnvādisthena taddhikṛt | proktetarasthānagatastattadbhāvakṣayaṃ karaḥ || 143 ||

Translation

When the form “śubhaga” (auspicious) is used, it denotes “one who possesses good fortune.” But when that same element is used with an affix of the snvādi group, it becomes an agent-form meaning “one who brings about that result.” And when a stated term is placed in another syntactic position, it conveys the diminution or destruction of that very state.

Word by Word

• शुभगः: bringing auspiciousness
• शुभगः: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभग (प्रातिपदिक) = शुभ + ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शुभं गच्छति/जनयति)

• यत्: which/whatever
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भगः: fortune/prosperity
• भगः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• भि: (unclear particle)
• भि: अव्यय-प्रयोग (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भि (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-प्राय; पाठभेद)
• Form: अव्यय (particle); ‘तद्भि...’ इत्यत्र संधि-समास-भ्रंशसम्भावना

• स्न्वादिस्थेन: by being situated in the ‘snvādi’ etc. (group/condition)
• स्न्वादिस्थेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्न्वादि-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक) = स्न्वादि + स्थ
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्न्वादौ स्थितः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धि: (unclear particle)
• धि: अव्यय-प्रयोग (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) ‘धि’; ‘तद्धिकृत्’ इत्यत्र संधि-भ्रंशसम्भावना

• कृत्: doing/making
• कृत्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्तिन्/कृत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (agentive/doing), प्रथमा, एकवचन (समासान्त-रूप)

• प्रोक्त: said/declared
• प्रोक्त: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), प्रथमा, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• इतर: other
• इतर: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (समासाङ्ग)

• स्थानगतः: gone to/located in a place
• स्थानगतः: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थान-गत (प्रातिपदिक) = स्थान + गत (गम् धातु + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्थाने गतः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तद्: that
• तद्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भावक्षयम्: loss/decline of state/condition
• भावक्षयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव-क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भावस्य क्षयः)

• करः: maker/causer
• करः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that meaning is not fixed merely by a word’s surface form; context and grammatical formation determine sense—an important discipline for correctly understanding dharma and moksha teachings.

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

Indirectly: it safeguards bhakti and moksha teachings by insisting on precise interpretation—misreading terms can distort doctrines about devotion, merit, and liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedanga Vyākaraṇa/Nirukta: the verse illustrates how affixes (like those in the snvādi group) and syntactic placement shift a term from ‘possessing fortune’ to ‘causing/producing an effect,’ or even to a sense of loss/diminution.