Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

काष्ठा तत्त्रिंशतो ज्ञेया कला पद्मजनन्दन । तत्त्रिंशतो क्षणो ज्ञेयस्तैः षड्भिर्घटिका स्मृता ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

kāṣṭhā tattriṃśato jñeyā kalā padmajanandana | tattriṃśato kṣaṇo jñeyastaiḥ ṣaḍbhirghaṭikā smṛtā || 22 ||

Translation

ഹേ പദ്മജനുടെ പ്രിയപുത്രാ, മുപ്പത് കാഷ്ഠകൾ ചേർന്ന് ഒരു കല; മുപ്പത് കലകൾ ചേർന്ന് ഒരു ക്ഷണം; അത്തരം ആറു (ക്ഷണങ്ങൾ) ചേർന്ന് ഘടികയായി സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• काष्ठा: a kāṣṭhā (unit of time)
• काष्ठा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्-त्रिंशतः: from thirty of those
• तत्-त्रिंशतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverbial: ‘from that thirty’), तसिल्-अर्थ (from/out of)

• ज्ञेया: is to be known (as)
• ज्ञेया: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय, gerundive)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (to be known)

• कला: a kalā (unit of time)
• कला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पद्मज-नन्दन: O son of Padmaja (Brahmā)
• पद्मज-नन्दन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मज (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative), पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्-त्रिंशतः: from thirty of those
• तत्-त्रिंशतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverbial: ‘from that thirty’)

• क्षणः: a kṣaṇa (moment)
• क्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ज्ञेयः: is to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• षड्भिः: by six
• षड्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (numeral), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• घटिका: a ghaṭikā (time unit)
• घटिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घटिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्मृता: is called/considered
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (क्त-प्रत्यय, PPP)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/considered’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical enumeration of time)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It sanctifies disciplined awareness of time (kāla) by defining precise units, supporting dharmic living where ritual, study, and vows are performed at the proper moments.

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

Indirectly: devotion is strengthened when worship and vrata are observed with proper timing; this verse provides the calendrical/time foundation that helps structure regular sādhana and pūjā.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical kāla-nirṇaya style enumeration used in Vedāṅga-aligned practice—useful for determining ritual durations and traditional time blocks such as the ghaṭikā.