Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 125

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

Devanagari script

सौम्यायनं मासषट्कं मृगाद्यं भानुभुक्तितः । अहः सुराणां तद्रा त्रिः कर्काद्यं दक्षिणायनम् ॥ १२५ ॥

Transliteration

saumyāyanaṃ māsaṣaṭkaṃ mṛgādyaṃ bhānubhuktitaḥ | ahaḥ surāṇāṃ tadrā triḥ karkādyaṃ dakṣiṇāyanam || 125 ||

Translation

Selon la course du Soleil à travers les signes du zodiaque, la période de six mois commençant par Makara (Capricorne) et les signes suivants est appelée saumyāyana, la marche vers le nord. C’est le jour des dieux ; et la nuit correspondante est la période de six mois commençant par Karka (Cancer), appelée dakṣiṇāyana, la marche vers le sud.

Word by Word

• सौम्य-अयनम्: the Saumya ayana (northern course)
• सौम्य-अयनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा वा द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘सौम्यं अयनम्’ (the northern/pleasant solstitial course)

• मास-षट्कम्: a six-month period
• मास-षट्कम्: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/Appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + षट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा वा द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः—‘षट् मासाः’ (a set of six months)

• मृग-आद्यम्: beginning with Mṛga
• मृग-आद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा वा द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘मृगः आदिः यस्य’ (beginning with Mṛga/Mṛgaśīrṣa)

• भानु-भुक्तितः: according to the Sun’s portion
• भानु-भुक्तितः: Hetu/Source (हेतु/अपादानभाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिलन्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/according to’); तत्पुरुषसम्बन्धः—‘भानोः भुक्तितः’ (according to the Sun’s enjoyment/portion)

• अहः: day
• अहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा वा द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘day’

• सुराणाम्: of the gods
• सुराणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• तत्-रात्रा: that night
• तत्-रात्रा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘तस्याः रात्रिः/that night’; (पाठे ‘तद्रा’ = तद् + रात्रा)

• त्रिः: thrice
• त्रिः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (thrice)

• कर्क-आद्यम्: beginning with Karka
• कर्क-आद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा वा द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘कर्कः आदिः यस्य’ (beginning with Karka/Cancer)

• दक्षिण-अयनम्: the Dakṣiṇāyana (southern course)
• दक्षिण-अयनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा वा द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘दक्षिणं अयनम्’ (southern course)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the teaching; time-measure doctrine in the Narada Purana tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Suras (Devas)
• Bhanu (Sun)

FAQs

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

It links human calendrical time to divine time, teaching that cosmic order (kāla) is structured by the Sun’s movement; aligning one’s dharma and observances with this order supports clarity, discipline, and spiritual progress.

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

While not directly prescribing bhakti practices, it provides the sacred time-framework used to choose auspicious periods for vows, worship, and festivals—supporting steady devotional discipline within the rhythm of uttarāyaṇa and dakṣiṇāyaṇa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy): the verse defines the Sun’s northern and southern courses via zodiacal transit and equates them to the day and night of the Devas—key for calendrical reckoning and ritual timing.