Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 174

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

Devanagari script

हलप्रवाहगमन गंत्रीपत्रगजोष्ट्रकम् । खरगोरथनौयानालुलायहयकर्म च ॥ १७४ ॥

Transliteration

halapravāhagamana gaṃtrīpatragajoṣṭrakam | kharagorathanauyānālulāyahayakarma ca || 174 ||

Translation

Le labour et la conduite des eaux d’irrigation; l’art de (fabriquer/mani­er) des chars et des instruments de feuille; la conduite des éléphants et des chameaux; et encore les travaux touchant aux ânes et au bétail, aux chars et aux bateaux, avec diverses activités de balancement et liées aux chevaux.

Word by Word

• हलप्रवाहगमन: ploughing/flowing movement; movement with plough/stream (contextual)
• हलप्रवाहगमन: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल + प्रवाह + गमन (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); समासः तत्पुरुष (determinative chain)

• गन्त्रीपत्रगजोष्ट्रकम्: vehicles/going, leaves/sheets, elephant and camel (as a set)
• गन्त्रीपत्रगजोष्ट्रकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्त्री + पत्र + गज + उष्ट्रक (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); समासः समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• खरगोरथनौयानालुलायहयकर्म: donkey, cow, chariot, boats, swinging/rocking, horse, and work (as a set)
• खरगोरथनौयानालुलायहयकर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर + गो + रथ + नौयान + आलुलाय + हय + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); समासः समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

The verse catalogs worldly crafts and livelihoods to show the breadth of human activity under dharma, implicitly preparing the listener to distinguish such pursuits from the higher aim of moksha taught in the Moksha-dharma section.

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

By enumerating practical occupations, it frames them as part of worldly life (pravṛtti); bhakti is then understood as the inner orientation that can sanctify action, yet ultimately points beyond mere skill and livelihood toward single-minded devotion and liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied, worldly sciences allied to dharma—agriculture and water-management, transport and navigation, and animal-handling—often treated as auxiliary know-how supporting yajña-based society, even when not a formal Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.