Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

लथोनरात्रिरहितालंकार्यामर्द्धरात्रिकाः । सावनोद्यूगसारर्कादिर्दिनमासाब्दयास्ततः ॥ ७९ ॥

Transliteration

lathonarātrirahitālaṃkāryāmarddharātrikāḥ | sāvanodyūgasārarkādirdinamāsābdayāstataḥ || 79 ||

Translation

De ces divisions antérieures du temps procèdent les appellations : la nuit, l’état sans nuit, la nuit « ornée » (spéciale), le milieu de la nuit et la demi-nuit. Ensuite sont comptés le jour sāvana (civil), le yuga, l’essence de l’année, la course du Soleil, puis les mesures du jour, du mois et de l’année.

Word by Word

• lathaḥ: Latha (a named unit/term)
• lathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: latha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• rātri-rahitālaṃkāryāḥ: to be marked as ‘without night’
• rātri-rahitālaṃkāryāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (कृदन्त, क्त) + alaṃkārya (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समासः (rātri-rahita + alaṃkāryāḥ)

• arddha-rātrikāḥ: half-nights (midnights)
• arddha-rātrikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arddha (प्रातिपदिक) + rātrikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समासः

• sāvana-udyuga-sāra-arka-ādiḥ: (the series) beginning with sāvana, udyuga, sāra, arka
• sāvana-udyuga-sāra-arka-ādiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāvana (प्रातिपदिक) + udyuga (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः, ‘…-ādi’ = ‘beginning with …’

• dina-māsa-abdayāḥ: days, months, and years
• dina-māsa-abdayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक) + abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (days, months, years)

• tataḥ: thereafter/from that
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/क्रमसूचक (from that/thereafter)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the technical divisions of time)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Arka (Sun)

FAQs

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

It frames time as a sacred, knowable order—by understanding time-divisions (night, midnight, day, month, year), one aligns dharma (ritual duty and right conduct) with the cosmic rhythm that supports steadiness of mind and progress toward moksha.

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

While not directly praising bhakti, it supplies the practical framework for devotional observances—fasts, vows, and worship schedules depend on correct reckoning of nights, days, months, and yearly cycles, making devotion disciplined and scripturally grounded.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedanga Jyotisha (Vedic calendrics/astronomy): it points to sāvana time-counting and larger cycles like yugas, and connects these to standard measures (day–month–year) used to time rites and vrata observances.