Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 156

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

Devanagari script

छन्नघ्नमस्मान्मूलं तु खांगोनग्लौवपुर्हृतम् । स्थित्यर्द्धं घटिकादिस्याद्व्यंगबाह्वंशसंमितैः ॥ १५६ ॥

Transliteration

channaghnamasmānmūlaṃ tu khāṃgonaglauvapurhṛtam | sthityarddhaṃ ghaṭikādisyādvyaṃgabāhvaṃśasaṃmitaiḥ || 156 ||

Translation

या पद्धतीने ‘छन्नघ्न’ (आवरण-घातक) काढून टाकून मूलमान मिळते; तसेच ख, अङ्ग, न, ग्ल, वपु या संकेतांनी दर्शविलेले पद वगळावेत. मग व्यंग/समायोजित बाहुमान व त्याच्या अंशांप्रमाणे घटिका इत्यादींमध्ये अर्ध-स्थिती ठरवावी।

Word by Word

• छन्न-घ्नम्: the ‘cover-destroyer’ (technical term)
• छन्न-घ्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्न (√छद् क्त; कृदन्त) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘destroyer of the covered/covering’)

• अस्मात्: from this
• अस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मूलम्: root / base value
• मूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• खाम्-गोन-ग्लौव-पुः-हृतम्: taken/removed (by/with khām-gona-glauva-puḥ …; technical, uncertain)
• खाम्-गोन-ग्लौव-पुः-हृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खाम् (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद) + गोन (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद) + ग्लौव (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद) + पुः/पुर् (प्रातिपदिक; uncertain) + हृत (√हृ क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘taken/removed’; पदानां अर्थः अनिश्चित (rare technical string)

• स्थिति-अर्धम्: half of the duration
• स्थिति-अर्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘half of the duration/standing’)

• घटिका-आदि: (units) such as ghaṭikā etc.
• घटिका-आदि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घटिका (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘beginning with ghaṭikā’)

• स्यात्: would be / should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• व्यङ्ग-बाहु-अंश-संमितैः: by measures/units equal to parts of vyṅga-bāhu
• व्यङ्ग-बाहु-अंश-संमितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + संमित (√मा/√मि? सम्+√मा ‘measure’ क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; ‘measured by parts of vyṅga-bāhu’ (technical)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue, instructing Narada on technical/disciplinary knowledge within Moksha-dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that right knowledge includes disciplined, precise understanding of time and measure—supporting dharma and ultimately aiding steadiness in moksha-oriented practice.

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

Indirectly: by teaching correct determination of time (kāla), it supports orderly observance of vows, worship schedules, and dharmic routines that sustain consistent Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa/Vedāṅga-style computation: converting calculated values into ghaṭikās (time units) using measurement terms (bāhu/aṃśa) and technical shorthand symbols used in traditional calculations.