Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 90

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

तृतीयकालपूजायामस्ति कालविकल्पना । सायाह्ने निशि वेत्यत्र वदंत्येके विपश्चितः ॥ ९० ॥

Transliteration

tṛtīyakālapūjāyāmasti kālavikalpanā | sāyāhne niśi vetyatra vadaṃtyeke vipaścitaḥ || 90 ||

Translation

Dans le culte accompli au troisième temps du jour, il existe une divergence quant au moment : certains sages disent qu’il doit être fait en fin d’après-midi, vers le soir, tandis que d’autres disent qu’il doit être fait la nuit.

Word by Word

• तृतीयकालपूजायाम्: in the worship at the third time
• तृतीयकालपूजायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (पूजा), सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘तृतीयस्य कालस्य पूजा’ (in the third-time worship)

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कालविकल्पना: a variation of time (timing options)
• कालविकल्पना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + विकल्पना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘कालस्य विकल्पना’ (variation regarding time)

• सायाह्ने: in the evening
• सायाह्ने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साय (प्रातिपदिक) + अह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘सायं-अह्नि’ = in the evening

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अत्र: here (in this matter)
• अत्र: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this context)

• वदन्ति: say
• वदन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• एके: some
• एके: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘some (people)’

• विपश्चितः: the wise
• विपश्चितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (nom. pl.); ‘wise persons’

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within Vedanga/ritual-time discussion)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It highlights that even in ritual practice, timing (kāla) can admit legitimate scriptural or traditional alternatives, and the devotee should follow an accepted lineage-based determination rather than arbitrary preference.

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

By acknowledging accepted options for the third-time worship, it emphasizes steadiness in daily devotion—regular worship matters, and one should perform it according to a valid tradition, whether in late afternoon or at night.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedanga-Kalpa (ritual procedure) and kāla-nirṇaya (determination of proper ritual time), showing that ritual timings may be interpreted as sāyāhna (late afternoon) or niśā (night) by different authorities.