Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

चंद्रोञ्चस्याग्निशून्याक्षिवसुसर्पार्णवा युगे । वामं पातस्य च स्वग्नियमाश्विशिखिदस्रकाः ॥ ६९ ॥

Transliteration

caṃdroñcasyāgniśūnyākṣivasusarpārṇavā yuge | vāmaṃ pātasya ca svagniyamāśviśikhidasrakāḥ || 69 ||

Translation

യുഗ-ഗണനയിൽ ക്രമം ഇങ്ങനെ പറയുന്നു— ‘ചന്ദ്രൻ, ഉഞ്ച/ഉത്ഥാനം, അഗ്നി, ശൂന്യം, നേത്രം, വസുക്കൾ, സർപ്പങ്ങൾ, അർണവങ്ങൾ (സമുദ്രങ്ങൾ)’. കൂടാതെ ‘പാത’ (അവരോഹ) ക്രമത്തിന്റെ ഇടത് ഭാഗത്ത്— ‘സ്വം, അഗ്നി, യമൻ, അശ്വിനികൾ, ശിഖീ, ദസ്രർ’ എന്ന് നിർദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• candraḥ: the Moon
• candraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uñcaḥ: (a unit/name) uñca
• uñcaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uñca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• agni-śūnya-akṣi-vasu-sarpa-arṇavāḥ: Agni, Śūnya, Akṣi, Vasu, Sarpa, Arṇava (names/numerals)
• agni-śūnya-akṣi-vasu-sarpa-arṇavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + śūnya (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + vasu (प्रातिपदिक) + sarpa (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (enumerative compound)

• yuge: in the yuga
• yuge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• vāmam: left (side)
• vāmam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• pātasya: of Pāta
• pātasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• su-agni-yamā-śvi-śikhi-dasrakāḥ: Su, Agni, Yamā, Aśvin, Śikhin, Dasra (names/numerals)
• su-agni-yamā-śvi-śikhi-dasrakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + agni (प्रातिपदिक) + yamā (प्रातिपदिक) + aśvin (प्रातिपदिक) + śikhin (प्रातिपदिक) + dasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (enumeration)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada; technical instruction within Moksha-Dharma teaching)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Chandra
• Agni
• Yama
• Ashvins
• Vasus

FAQs

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

It shows that Moksha-Dharma instruction is supported by precise sacred time-reckoning: correct knowledge of cosmic measures (yuga/kalpa calculations) is treated as a disciplined aid to dharma and right understanding of the universe.

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

Indirectly: by grounding religious life in accurate traditional knowledge (such as calendrics), it supports proper observance of vrata, parva-days, and worship timings—frameworks within which Vishnu-bhakti is practiced.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa-style numeric mnemonics (bhūta-saṅkhyā): deities and natural symbols (moon, fire, Vasus, oceans, etc.) are used as conventional number-words for yuga-related computations.