Shloka 14

The Account of Mohinī (Mohinī-kathanam): Ekādaśī Nirṇaya, Daśamī Boundary, and Aruṇodaya

Devanagari script

मूहूर्ताः पंचदश च स्मृता रात्रेर्दिनस्य च । ज्ञेयास्ते ह्रस्वदीर्घत्वे त्रैराशिक विधानतः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

mūhūrtāḥ paṃcadaśa ca smṛtā rātrerdinasya ca | jñeyāste hrasvadīrghatve trairāśika vidhānataḥ || 14 ||

Translation

Fifteen muhūrtas are traditionally taught for the night and likewise for the day. Their becoming shorter or longer should be determined according to the rule of proportional calculation (trairāśika).

Word by Word

• मुहूर्ताः: muhūrtas (time-units)
• मुहूर्ताः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural

• पञ्चदश: fifteen
• पञ्चदश: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चदशन् (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, प्रथमा, बहुवचनार्थे अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च + दश) — Numeral ‘fifteen’ qualifying plural

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्मृताः: are remembered/considered
• स्मृताः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विधेय (Predicative to subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — PPP, Masculine, Nominative plural; predicative

• रात्रेः: of the night
• रात्रेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन — Feminine, Genitive singular

• दिनस्य: of the day
• दिनस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Neuter, Genitive singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ज्ञेयाः: are to be known
• ज्ञेयाः: विधेय (Obligatory predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे ‘यत्’ (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Gerundive, Masculine, Nominative plural

• ते: those
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to मुहूर्ताः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative plural

• ह्रस्वदीर्घत्वे: in (their) shortness and length (variation)
• ह्रस्वदीर्घत्वे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्रस्व + दीर्घ + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (ह्रस्व + दीर्घ) + त्व-प्रत्यय (भाववाचक) — Neuter, Locative singular

• त्रैराशिक: according to the trairāśika (rule of three)
• त्रैराशिक: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैराशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण रूपेण ‘विधानतः’ इत्यस्य — Adjectival stem ‘trairāśika’

• विधानतः: according to the procedure
• विधानतः: हेतु/प्रकार (Manner/according to)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) — Indeclinable meaning ‘according to/from the rule’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical, instructional mode within the Uttara-Bhaga narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that dharmic practice is strengthened by right timing: sacred acts are to be aligned with kāla (time), and the Purāṇa treats time-measurement as a practical support for disciplined religious life.

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

Bhakti is practiced through daily worship and vows done at proper times; by teaching how day/night muhūrtas are determined, the verse supports accurate scheduling of pūjā, japa, and vrata observances that sustain devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa/Vedāṅga-style kāla-nirṇaya: it states the standard division (15 muhūrtas each for day and night) and points to trairāśika (rule-of-three proportional computation) to adjust for seasonal variation in day/night length.