Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

तद्द्वयेन मुहूर्त्तं स्याद्दिनं तत्त्रिंशताभवेत् । त्रिंशद्दिनैर्भवेन्मासः पक्षद्वितयसंयुतः ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

taddvayena muhūrttaṃ syāddinaṃ tattriṃśatābhavet | triṃśaddinairbhavenmāsaḥ pakṣadvitayasaṃyutaḥ || 23 ||

Translation

Par le double de cette unité se forme un muhūrta ; trente muhūrtas constituent un jour. Par trente jours se forme un mois, composé de deux quinzaines (deux pakṣas).

Word by Word

• तत्-द्वयेन: by that twofold (i.e., by two of those)
• तत्-द्वयेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘by that pair’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• मुहूर्त्तम्: a muhūrta
• मुहूर्त्तम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; here predicate-nominative with स्यात्

• स्यात्: would be/is (defined as)
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दिनम्: a day
• दिनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate with अभवेत्

• तत्-त्रिंशता: by thirty of those
• तत्-त्रिंशता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘that thirty’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (त्रिंशत्), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• अभवेत्: would become/would be
• अभवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + अभि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• त्रिंशत्-दिनैः: by thirty days
• त्रिंशत्-दिनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (numeral determinative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• भवेत्: would be/become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मासः: a month
• मासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• पक्ष-द्वितय-संयुतः: consisting of two fortnights
• पक्ष-द्वितय-संयुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वितय (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘joined with two fortnights’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of मासः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It sanctifies time as a dharmic framework—showing that vows, worship, and rites become spiritually effective when aligned with properly defined Vedic units like muhūrta, pakṣa, and māsa.

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

Bhakti practices (japa, pūjā, vrata) are performed within sacred time; this verse supplies the calendrical structure (day–fortnight–month) that supports disciplined devotional observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa/Vedāṅga time-reckoning: the verse defines standard units (muhūrta, day, month, pakṣa) used to compute tithis, plan rituals, and fix vrata timings in Narada Purana rituals.