Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

Graha–Ketu–Utpāta Lakṣaṇas: Solar/Lunar Omens, Comets, Eclipses, and Calendar Rules

Devanagari script

नागेभैरावताश्चैव वृषभोष्ट्र्रखराह्वयाः । मृगांजदहनाख्याः स्युर्याम्यांता वीथयो नव ॥ ६६ ॥

Transliteration

nāgebhairāvatāścaiva vṛṣabhoṣṭrrakharāhvayāḥ | mṛgāṃjadahanākhyāḥ syuryāmyāṃtā vīthayo nava || 66 ||

Translation

Also, there are nine avenues (vīthīs) that end toward the southern quarter: those called Nāga and Bhairavata; those named for the bull, the camel, and the donkey; and those called Mṛga, Añja, and Dahana.

Word by Word

• नागेभ: by/with the Nāgas
• नागेभ: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• ऐरावताः: (the) Airāvatas
• ऐरावताः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; emphatic particle

• वृषभ-उष्ट्र-खर-आह्वयाः: called ‘Bull’, ‘Camel’, ‘Donkey’
• वृषभ-उष्ट्र-खर-आह्वयाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) + उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक) + खर (प्रातिपदिक) + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; Nominative plural; बहुवचन-विशेषण (names called ‘bull/camel/donkey’)

• मृग-अज-दहन-आख्याः: named ‘Deer’, ‘Goat’, ‘Fire’
• मृग-अज-दहन-आख्याः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + अज (प्रातिपदिक) + दहन (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; Nominative plural; बहुवचन-विशेषण (named ‘Deer/Goat/Fire’)

• स्युः: may be/are said to be
• स्युः: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; may be/should be

• याम्य-अन्ताः: having the southern end
• याम्य-अन्ताः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; Nominative plural; ‘ending in the south (Yama’s direction)’

• वीथयः: paths/streets (vīthīs)
• वीथयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• नव: nine
• नव: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सङ्ख्याविशेषण) प्रथमा बहुवचन (वीथयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्); numeral adjective, nominative plural

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

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

It maps the southern (Yama-associated) quarter through named vīthīs, reinforcing the Purana’s cosmological order where directions are structured and symbolically charged for dharma and contemplation.

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

Indirectly: by presenting an ordered sacred cosmology, it supports bhakti-oriented practice where devotees remember the Lord’s governance of the cosmos and align conduct with dharma across the quarters.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Directional classification (dik-nirṇaya) relevant to ritual orientation and traditional cosmography; it complements jyotiṣa-style spatial ordering used when situating rites toward specific quarters.