Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

Jyotiṣa-śāstra Saṅgraha: Threefold Division, Gaṇita Methods, Muhūrta, and Planetary Reckoning

Devanagari script

ग्रासेन स्वाहतेच्छाद्यमानामे स्युर्विशोपकाः । पूर्णांतं मध्यमत्र स्याद्दर्शांतेंजं त्रिभोनकम् ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

grāsena svāhatecchādyamānāme syurviśopakāḥ | pūrṇāṃtaṃ madhyamatra syāddarśāṃteṃjaṃ tribhonakam || 158 ||

Translation

ചന്ദ്രന്റെ സ്വന്തം ‘ഗ്രാസം’ (ഗ്രഹണത്തിൽ) മൂലം തിഥി-അംഗങ്ങൾ മൂടപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ അവയെ ‘വിശോപകാഃ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നു. ഈ കണക്കിൽ ‘പൂർണാന്തം’ മദ്ധ്യബിന്ദുവായി എടുക്കുന്നു; പക്ഷാന്തം (ദർശാന്തം)യിൽ ‘അജ’യെ ‘ത്രിഭോനക’ അഥവാ മൂന്നിരട്ടി എന്നു പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ग्रासेन: by a mouthful / by a ‘grāsa’ measure
• ग्रासेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• स्व-आहत-इच्छाद्य-मान-आमे: in the raw/initial measure (etc.) multiplied by itself (technical)
• स्व-आहत-इच्छाद्य-मान-आमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आहत (√हन्/√आहन् क्त; ‘multiplied’) + इच्छाद्य (इच्छा + आदि; प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक) + आम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘raw/uncooked’; here technical)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; technical phrase (reading uncertain due to sandhi/orthography)

• स्युः: would be / should be
• स्युः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• विशोपकाः: viśopakas (technical entities)
• विशोपकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशोपक (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्लभ/technical)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; technical term (uncertain)

• पूर्ण-अन्तम्: ending in full / complete-end
• पूर्ण-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘ending in full/complete’)

• मध्यमम्: middle (value)
• मध्यमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place: ‘here’)

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

• दर्श-अन्ते: at the end of the new-moon period
• दर्श-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘at the end of darśa/new-moon period’)

• इञ्जम्: iṅja (technical quantity)
• इञ्जम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इञ्ज (प्रातिपदिक; technical/rare)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; technical term (uncertain)

• त्रि-भ-ओनकम्: threefold-deficient (technical)
• त्रि-भ-ओनकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भ (प्रातिपदिक; uncertain) + ओनक (प्रातिपदिक; ‘deficient’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष; ‘three-(something)-deficient’ (technical)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical dharma/observance context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Chandra (Moon)
• Darsha (new-moon/fortnight boundary)

FAQs

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

It links spiritual discipline with precise time-knowledge: understanding lunar transitions and eclipse-conditions is presented as part of dharmic order, supporting correct observance and inner steadiness.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing correct ritual timing and clarity about lunar states, it supports orderly worship and vrata-practice, which in the Narada Purana are often framed as aids to steady Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa (astronomical/astrological reckoning): technical naming of obscuration during eclipse, and rules about ‘middle’ and ‘end’ points tied to pūrṇānta and darśānta calculations.