Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 161

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

Devanagari script

आशु तेशाष्टगोष्वंगःत्सांतेष्वब्जात्सितः शुभः । स्वात्सज्ञेषु त्रिधीगोब्धी दिक्छिद्रासिगतोर्कजात् ॥ १६१ ॥

Transliteration

āśu teśāṣṭagoṣvaṃgaḥtsāṃteṣvabjātsitaḥ śubhaḥ | svātsajñeṣu tridhīgobdhī dikchidrāsigatorkajāt || 161 ||

Translation

Swiftly, within those eight limbs and their associated placements, one should contemplate or install the auspicious, radiant (sattvic) principle born of the lotus. In the positions denoted by their own technical names, the threefold intelligence and the “ocean of cows” are to be arranged according to the directions, the interspaces, and the sword-like divisions, as taught in the Arka (solar) tradition.

Word by Word

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अष्ट: eight
• अष्ट: विशेषण (Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या; (समास/निर्देशार्थ)

• गोṣu: among the cows/go (term)
• गोṣu: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अङ्गः: aṅga (limb/part; term)
• अङ्गः: निर्देश (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (technical)

• त्साम्: (unclear)
• त्साम्: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्साम् (पाठदोष/अव्यय-सदृश)
• Form: अव्ययवत्; पाठानुसार अनिश्चित (corrupt token)

• तेषु: in those
• तेषु: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अब्जात्: from abja (lotus-born; term)
• अब्जात्: अपादान (Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; (lotus-born/term)

• सितः: white/bright
• सितः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुभः: auspicious
• शुभः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वात्: from one’s own (term)
• स्वात्: अपादान (Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; (पाठ: स्वात्)

• सज्ञेषु: in the named/terms
• सज्ञेषु: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (पाठदोष: संज्ञेषु?)

• त्रिधी: tridhī (threefold dhī; term)
• त्रिधी: निर्देश (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three + dhī)

• गोब्धी: gobdhi (term)
• गोब्धी: निर्देश (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष

• दिक्छिद्र: dikchidra (term)
• दिक्छिद्र: निर्देश (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् + छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: दिशां छिद्रम् (direction-hole/term)

• असि: sword (asi; term)
• असि: निर्देश (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (sword/term)

• गत: gone/reached
• गत: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उर्कजात्: from urkajā (term)
• उर्कजात्: अपादान (Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्क + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: उर्कात् जातः (born from urka; term)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada; technical moksha-dharma/nyasa-style teaching)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Arka (Surya)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined inner installation (nyāsa/bhāvanā) and structured contemplation—placing auspicious, sattvic principles in an ordered way—so the practitioner’s body-mind becomes a fit support for moksha-oriented practice.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti by prescribing orderly contemplation/installation of the auspicious divine principle; such ritualized remembrance steadies the mind for sustained devotion and single-pointed worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual-technology using directional mapping (dik), structured divisions (chidra/asi), and technical nomenclature—skills aligned with Kalpa (ritual procedure) and, indirectly, Jyotiṣa-style spatial/directional correspondences.