Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 61

Jyotiṣa-śāstra Saṅgraha: Threefold Division, Gaṇita Methods, Muhūrta, and Planetary Reckoning

Devanagari script

युगमानं स्मृतं विप्र खचतुष्करदार्णवाः । तद्दशांशास्तु चत्वारः कृताख्यं पादमुच्यते ॥ ६१ ॥

Transliteration

yugamānaṃ smṛtaṃ vipra khacatuṣkaradārṇavāḥ | taddaśāṃśāstu catvāraḥ kṛtākhyaṃ pādamucyate || 61 ||

Translation

Ô brāhmane, la mesure d’un Yuga est mémorisée comme « kha–catuṣkara–dārṇava ». De ses dix parts, quatre sont proclamées comme la portion du Yuga Kṛta (Satya).

Word by Word

• युग-मानम्: the measure of a yuga
• युग-मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• स्मृतम्: is remembered/declared
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ख-चतुष्क-र-द-अर्णवाः: (the numbers) 0, 4, 2, 3, 8 (as a coded numeral series)
• ख-चतुष्क-र-द-अर्णवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्क (प्रातिपदिक) + र (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—द्वन्द्वः (copulative); संख्यावाचक-भूतार्थक (used as number-words)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular) (elliptic: 'of that')

• दश-अंशाः: tenths (one-tenth parts)
• दश-अंशाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (contrast/emphasis particle)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृत-आख्यम्: named 'Kṛta'
• कृत-आख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• पादम्: a quarter/part
• पादम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It frames human dharma and spiritual practice within cosmic time: the Kṛta Yuga is presented as the largest and most complete portion, implying maximal dharma and clarity of spiritual realization in that age.

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

Indirectly, it sets the background for why practices differ by age: as the yuga portions change, dharma’s strength changes—later teachings typically emphasize accessible disciplines (often bhakti) suitable for declining capacities.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kāla-nirṇaya (time determination) using bhūta-saṅkhyā (word-numeral encoding), a technical method used in traditional Sanskrit scientific and calendrical computations.