Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 187

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

Devanagari script

भवेद्भत्रितयं मूर्ध्नि धान्यनाशाय राहुभात् । गले त्रयं कज्जलाय वृद्ध्यै च द्वादशोदरे ॥ १८७ ॥

Transliteration

bhavedbhatritayaṃ mūrdhni dhānyanāśāya rāhubhāt | gale trayaṃ kajjalāya vṛddhyai ca dvādaśodare || 187 ||

Translation

രാഹുവിന്റെ പീഡയാൽ തലയിൽ മൂന്ന് അടയാളങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ ധാന്യനാശം സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. കഴുത്തിൽ മൂന്ന് ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ കാജൽപോലുള്ള കറുപ്പ്; വയറ്റിൽ പന്ത്രണ്ട് ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ വർദ്ധിയും സമൃദ്ധിയും സൂചകം।

Word by Word

• bhavet: should be / may occur
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bha-tritayam: a triad (set of three) of nakṣatras
• bha-tritayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bha (प्रातिपदिक) + tritaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘a triad of bha-s / nakṣatras’)

• mūrdhni: on the head
• mūrdhni: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• dhānya-nāśāya: for the loss of crops
• dhānya-nāśāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhānya (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘for destruction of grain/crops’)

• rāhu-bhāt: from (the) Rāhu group
• rāhu-bhāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāhu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘from Rāhu’s bha/group’)

• gale: in the throat
• gale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• trayam: a set of three
• trayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (collective ‘three’)

• kajjalāya: for soot/blackening
• kajjalāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kajjala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• vṛddhyai: for increase/growth
• vṛddhyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• dvādaśa-udare: in the twelfth (abdominal) region
• dvādaśa-udare: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (‘in the twelve(-fold) abdomen’ i.e., at the twelfth position/region)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a technical/omens-astrology context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rahu

FAQs

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

It frames worldly outcomes (loss or increase) as readable signs within Jyotiṣa-style diagnostics, encouraging vigilance, remedial action, and disciplined living rather than fatalism.

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

While the verse is primarily technical (omens/planetary affliction), its implied response in the Purāṇic framework is to seek protection through dharma and devotion—turning anxiety about harm (like Rāhu-affliction) into reliance on sacred remedies and worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology): correlating specific bodily marks/locations and counts with predicted results, especially effects attributed to Rāhu and indications of loss or growth.