Shloka 9

प्रलय-त्रिविध-विभागः एवं प्राकृतप्रलय-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

नाडिकाभ्याम् अथ द्वाभ्यां मुहूर्तो द्विजसत्तम अहोरात्रं मुहूर्तास् तु त्रिंशन् मासो दिनैस् तथा

Transliteration

nāḍikābhyām atha dvābhyāṃ muhūrto dvijasattama ahorātraṃ muhūrtās tu triṃśan māso dinais tathā

Translation

O best of the twice-born, two nāḍikās make one muhūrta. A day and night are made of muhūrtas; likewise, a month consists of thirty days.

Word by Word

• नाडिकाभ्याम्: by two nāḍikās
• नाडिकाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय; particle meaning 'then/and'

• द्वाभ्याम्: by two
• द्वाभ्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (सङ्ख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; numeral adjective agreeing with implied noun

• मुहूर्तः: a muhūrta
• मुहूर्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); सत्तम = सत् (कृदन्त) + तमप्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां सत्तमः)

• अहोरात्रम्: a day-and-night (one full day)
• अहोरात्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dvandva (day and night) used as a unit

• मुहूर्ताः: muhūrtas
• मुहूर्ताः: Pradhana (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अवधारणार्थक particle

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (सङ्ख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (संख्यावाचक); numeral used predicatively with 'मासः'

• मासः: a month
• मासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• दिनैः: by days (in days)
• दिनैः: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (measure)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारार्थक adverb

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Measures of time (nāḍikā, muhūrta, day-night, month) as groundwork for cosmic chronology

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time is structured in nested units, and this ordered measure underlies later accounts of cosmic cycles and dissolution.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use disciplined time-awareness (daily/weekly/monthly rhythms) to support steady sādhana and reflection on impermanence.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order (kāla-niyati) is a real mode of the Lord’s governance, not mere illusion, and becomes a support for contemplative devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of measuring time (kāla-māna) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse grounds cosmic and ritual chronology in precise units (nāḍikā, muhūrta, day-night, month), presenting time as an ordered structure that supports universal order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between nāḍikā, muhūrta, and a day?

Parāśara states that two nāḍikās make one muhūrta, and that day-and-night is counted through muhūrtas, establishing a step-by-step ladder of time units.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when discussing time-units, the Purana frames reality as orderly and intelligible—an expression of cosmic governance ultimately rooted in Vishnu as the supreme sustaining principle.