Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Yuga-Dharma Framework, Kali-Yuga Diagnosis, and the Hari-Nāma Remedy

Transition to Vedānta Inquiry

Devanagari script

संध्यासन्ध्यांशयुक्तानि युगानि सदृशानि वै । कालतो वेदितव्यानि इत्युक्तं तत्त्वादर्शिभिः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

saṃdhyāsandhyāṃśayuktāni yugāni sadṛśāni vai | kālato veditavyāni ityuktaṃ tattvādarśibhiḥ || 5 ||

Translation

Les Yuga sont réellement comparables dans leur structure, car ils sont pourvus de leur saṃdhyā (crépuscule) et de leurs parts de crépuscule (saṃdhyāṃśa). Il faut les comprendre selon leur mesure de temps ; ainsi l’ont proclamé les voyants de la vérité.

Word by Word

• संध्या-संध्या-अंश-युक्तानि: endowed with twilight and twilight-portions (dawn/dusk segments)
• संध्या-संध्या-अंश-युक्तानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + संध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (सम्बन्ध: ‘संध्यायाः संध्यायाश्च अंशैः युक्तानि’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘युगानि’

• युगानि: the yugas
• युगानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सदृशानि: similar, corresponding
• सदृशानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘युगानि’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अनुनासिक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कालतः: according to time
• कालतः: Hetu/Adhikarana (हेतु/अधिकरण; basis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + तसिल् (अव्ययार्थ)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/according to time’)

• वेदितव्यानि: are to be understood
• वेदितव्यानि: Vidhi (विधि/Predicative necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त gerundive (to be known); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय ‘युगानि’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमन-अव्यय (quotative)

• उक्तम्: has been said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया; reported statement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle: ‘said’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्त्व-दर्शिभिः: by the seers of truth
• तत्त्व-दर्शिभिः: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument: ‘by’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘तत्त्वं पश्यन्ति’/‘तत्त्वस्य दर्शिनः’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on time-measurement and Yuga structure)

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 cosmic time as an ordered dharmic structure: each Yuga has transitional junctions (sandhyā and sandhyāṃśa), and true understanding comes from measuring time (kāla) as taught by tattva-darśins.

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

By emphasizing kāla (time) and Yuga structure, it reminds devotees that practice must be aligned with the age: knowing one’s Yuga supports appropriate dharma and steadiness in Vishnu-bhakti amid changing conditions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Vedāṅga-style chronological discernment—kāla-nirṇaya (time determination) used in calendrics and ritual timing—where transitions (sandhyā/sandhyāṃśa) matter for correct reckoning.