Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

सनंदन उवाच । क्रमाच्चैत्रादिमासेषु मेषाद्याः संक्रमा मताः । चैत्रशुक्लप्रतिपदि यो वारः स नृपः स्मृतः 1. ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanaṃdana uvāca | kramāccaitrādimāseṣu meṣādyāḥ saṃkramā matāḥ | caitraśuklapratipadi yo vāraḥ sa nṛpaḥ smṛtaḥ 1. || 1 ||

Translation

Sanandana dit : Selon l’ordre établi, dans les mois commençant par Caitra, les passages solaires (saṅkrama) sont tenus pour commencer par Meṣa (Bélier) et les autres signes. Et le jour de la semaine qui tombe sur la śukla pratipad, premier jour de la quinzaine claire de Caitra, est mémorisé comme le « roi », le chef des jours.

Word by Word

• सनंदनः: Sanandana
• सनंदनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनंदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभावार्थे (adverbial: 'in order/ क्रमशः')

• चैत्र-आदि-मासेषु: in the months beginning with Chaitra
• चैत्र-आदि-मासेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र + आदि + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः: चैत्रादिमास = 'Chaitra and the following months'

• मेष-आद्याः: beginning with Aries (Mesha)
• मेष-आद्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेष + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• संक्रमाः: transits/ingresses
• संक्रमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मताः: are considered
• मताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'considered/held to be'

• चैत्र-शुक्ल-प्रतिपदि: on the Chaitra bright fortnight’s first day
• चैत्र-शुक्ल-प्रतिपदि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र + शुक्ल + प्रतिपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः: चैत्रशुक्लप्रतिपदा = 'the first lunar day of Chaitra bright fortnight'

• यः: which/that
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• वारः: weekday
• वारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• स्मृतः: is called/remembered as
• स्मृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'is remembered/called'

Speaker

Sanandana

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sanandana
• Meṣa (Aries)
• Caitra

FAQs

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

It sanctifies sacred timekeeping: aligning rituals and vows with the correct month, solar sign (Meṣa), and lunar day (Caitra śukla pratipad) so that dharma is practiced in harmony with cosmic order.

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

By defining auspicious calendrical markers, it supports disciplined devotional observances (vratas, pūjā timings) where bhakti is strengthened through regular, properly timed worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy): it references saṅkrānti (solar ingress), rāśi such as Meṣa, lunar tithi (śukla pratipad), and vāra (weekday) for ritual scheduling.