Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 73

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

Devanagari script

प्रागातेः सूर्यमंदस्य कल्पेसप्ताष्टवह्नयः । कौजस्य वेदस्वयमा बौधस्याष्टर्तुवह्नयः ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

prāgāteḥ sūryamaṃdasya kalpesaptāṣṭavahnayaḥ | kaujasya vedasvayamā baudhasyāṣṭartuvahnayaḥ || 73 ||

Translation

സൂര്യമന്ദ കല്പത്തിൽ പ്രാഗാതേ (പൂർവ-ആഗമനവിധി) പ്രകാരം ഏഴും എട്ടും അഗ്നികൾ വിധിപൂർവം സ്ഥാപിതമാണ്. കൗജ കല്പത്തിൽ വേദങ്ങൾ സ്വയം പ്രത്യക്ഷമാകുന്നു. ബൗധ കല്പത്തിൽ ഋതുക്കൾക്ക് അനുസരിച്ച് എട്ട് ഋതു-അഗ്നികൾ പ്രവൃത്തിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• prāk: formerly/before
• prāk: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāk (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: before/earlier)

• āteḥ: of Āti (name)
• āteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप (uncertain proper name)

• sūrya-maṃdasya: of Sūryamanda
• sūrya-maṃdasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + maṃda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Sūryamanda = name/epithet)

• kalpe: in the kalpa
• kalpe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• sapta-aṣṭa-vahnayaḥ: seven, eight, fires (as number-words)
• sapta-aṣṭa-vahnayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (संख्या) + aṣṭa (संख्या) + vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गणनापद-समाहार (enumerative list; vahni=fire)

• kaujasya: of Kauja
• kaujasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तद्धित-सम्भव (patronymic/derived name)

• veda-svayamā: Veda itself / self-evident Veda (as a name/term)
• veda-svayamā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (svayam- as qualifier)

• baudhasya: of Baudha
• baudhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: baudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• aṣṭa-ṛtu-vahnayaḥ: eight, seasons, fires (as number-words)
• aṣṭa-ṛtu-vahnayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या) + ṛtu (प्रातिपदिक) + vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गणनापद-समाहार (enumerative list)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Agni
• Kalpa
• Ritu

FAQs

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

It frames cosmic time (kalpa) as inseparable from dharma-practice: different kalpas are characterized by distinct ritual-fire (agni) arrangements and modes of Vedic manifestation, showing that sacred order is structured and cyclical.

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

Indirectly: by grounding religious life in divinely ordered cycles, it supports bhakti as disciplined worship performed in harmony with cosmic and ritual law (agni/ṛtu/kalpa), even when the verse itself is technical rather than devotional.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Kalpa (ritual science): the verse points to classifications of sacred fires and season-based ritual structuring (ṛtu), a core principle for organizing yajña-related observances.