Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अपयंत्ययमत्यंतं पक्षयोः शुक्लकृष्णयोः । जातं मर्त्यं जरयति निमिषं नावतिष्टते ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

apayaṃtyayamatyaṃtaṃ pakṣayoḥ śuklakṛṣṇayoḥ | jātaṃ martyaṃ jarayati nimiṣaṃ nāvatiṣṭate || 18 ||

Translation

ເວລາຜ່ານໄປຢ່າງບໍ່ຢຸດຢັ້ງ ຕາມຄື່ງເດືອນສວ່າງແລະຄື່ງເດືອນມືດ; ມັນເຮັດໃຫ້ຜູ້ເກີດເປັນມະນຸດແກ່ລົງ ແລະບໍ່ຢຸດຢັ້ງແມ່ນແຕ່ຊົ່ວພິບຕາ।

Word by Word

• अपयन्ति: go away/pass
• अपयन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• अयम्: this (time)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अत्यन्तम्: entirely
• अत्यन्तम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = completely/utterly

• पक्षयोः: of the two fortnights
• पक्षयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative dual); here Genitive dual 'of the two fortnights'

• शुक्लकृष्णयोः: of the bright and dark (halves)
• शुक्लकृष्णयोः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative dual); द्वन्द्व-समासः = 'bright and dark' (fortnights)

• जातम्: born
• जातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• मर्त्यम्: a mortal
• मर्त्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• जरयति: makes (him) age
• जरयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जर्/जॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); णिच् (causative) sense = 'causes to age'

• निमिषम्: for a moment
• निमिषम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular); काल-परिमाण (measure of time) used adverbially

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha-dyotaka (प्रतिषेध-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अवतिष्ठते: remains/stands still
• अवतिष्ठते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It instills vairagya by stressing that kāla moves ceaselessly—measured even by the waxing and waning lunar fortnights—so one should not delay dharma and the pursuit of moksha.

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

By highlighting life’s brevity and inevitable decay, it urges immediate, steady remembrance and worship of the Lord rather than postponing bhakti to a later stage of life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Jyotiṣa-style time reckoning through śukla and kṛṣṇa pakṣa (lunar fortnights), a practical calendrical framework used to time vrata, worship, and disciplined spiritual routines.