Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Graha–Ketu–Utpāta Lakṣaṇas: Solar/Lunar Omens, Comets, Eclipses, and Calendar Rules

Devanagari script

घटाकृतिः क्षुद्भयकृत्पुरहा तोरणाकृतिः । छत्राकृते देशहतिः खंडभानुनृपांतकृत् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

ghaṭākṛtiḥ kṣudbhayakṛtpurahā toraṇākṛtiḥ | chatrākṛte deśahatiḥ khaṃḍabhānunṛpāṃtakṛt || 14 ||

Translation

ഘടംപോലുള്ള ആകൃതിയിലുള്ള നിമിത്തം ക്ഷുധാഭയം (ദുര്ഭിക്ഷം) വരുത്തും; നഗരത്തിനുമീതെ കാണുന്ന നിമിത്തം നഗരനാശം സൂചിപ്പിക്കും. തോരണാകൃതിയുള്ളത് വിനാശകരം; ഛത്രാകൃതിയുള്ളത് ദേശഹാനി വരുത്തും. സൂര്യൻ ഖണ്ഡിതമായി തോന്നിയാൽ രാജാവിന്റെ അന്ത്യം സൂചിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• घटा-आकृतिः: a pot-like shape
• घटा-आकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घटा (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘घटायाः आकृतिः’ (pot-shaped form)

• क्षुत्-भय-कृत्: causing fear of famine/hunger
• क्षुत्-भय-कृत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृ धातु-जन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘क्षुत्भयं करोति’ (causing fear of famine/hunger)

• पुरहा: Indra (slayer of forts)
• पुरहा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरहा (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-पर्याय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तोरण-आकृतिः: an arch-like shape
• तोरण-आकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘तोरणस्य आकृतिः’ (arch/gateway-shaped form)

• छत्र-आकृते: in an umbrella-like form
• छत्र-आकृते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘छत्रस्य आकृतौ’ (in an umbrella-like form)

• देश-हतिः: destruction of a country/region
• देश-हतिः: Karta (कर्ता/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक) + हति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘देशस्य हतिः’ (ruin of a region)

• खण्ड-भानु-नृप-अन्त-कृत्: bringing about the end of kings (when the sun seems broken)
• खण्ड-भानु-नृप-अन्त-कृत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + भानु (प्रातिपदिक) + नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृ धातु-जन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः/उपपदः—‘खण्डभानौ (खण्डाकार-भानौ) नृपाणाम् अन्तं करोति’ (causing the end of kings when the sun appears broken/fragmented)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on nimitta/utpāta signs relevant to kingship and public calamities)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

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

It frames cosmic irregularities as moral and karmic indicators affecting society—reminding rulers and communities to restore dharma through right conduct, charity, and propitiatory rites when destructive omens arise.

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

While the verse is primarily nimitta-focused, its implication in Moksha Dharma is that fear and instability should turn one toward refuge in the Divine—especially Vishnu-bhakti—along with dharmic action, rather than panic or fatalism.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa (Vedanga astrology/astronomy) through interpretation of celestial and atmospheric portents—especially solar anomalies—as predictive signs for famine, civic ruin, and danger to kings.