Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

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

Devanagari script

चतुष्पदर्क्षगे भानौ शेर्षैबलयुतैः खगैः । कोशादतौ तु यमलौ जायेते मुनिसत्तम ॥ ७१ ॥

Transliteration

catuṣpadarkṣage bhānau śerṣaibalayutaiḥ khagaiḥ | kośādatau tu yamalau jāyete munisattama || 71 ||

Translation

O best of sages, when the Sun is in the lunar mansion Catuṣpada, two twin beings are born from the womb, bearing marks upon the head and endowed with strength, and having the nature of birds.

Word by Word

• चतुष्पद-अर्क्ष-गे: when (it is) in the quadruped constellation/sign
• चतुष्पद-अर्क्ष-गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुष्पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘चतुष्पद-अर्क्षे गतः’)

• भानौ: in the Sun
• भानौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शेष-ऐबल-युतैः: endowed with remaining strength (technical)
• शेष-ऐबल-युतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक) + ऐबल (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘शेषैबलैः युतैः’ = endowed with remaining strength; ‘ऐबल’ दुर्लभ/पाठभेद)

• खगैः: by the planets
• खगैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ज्योतिषे ‘ग्रहाः’ (planets)

• कोशात्: from the womb/sheath
• कोशात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अतौ: then/there (uncertain reading)
• अतौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूपम् (सम्भाव्यं ‘अथ’ इत्यर्थे निपातः वा)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-निपात (but/indeed)

• यमलौ: the twins
• यमलौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• जायेते: are born
• जायेते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘are born’

• मुनि-सत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘मुनीनां सत्तमः’)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Bhanu)
• Nakshatra (Catuṣpada)

FAQs

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

It presents Jyotiṣa as a Vedāṅga tool for reading karmic indications at birth—showing how cosmic placements (like the Sun in a specific nakṣatra) are linked to embodied outcomes.

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

Indirectly: by mapping worldly birth-signs to karma, it encourages detachment and a turn toward mokṣa-oriented living, for which the Purāṇa repeatedly recommends devotion to the Lord as the stabilizing refuge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology): it uses a nakṣatra-based rule (Sun in Catuṣpada) to indicate specific birth characteristics such as twins and particular bodily/natural traits.