Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 193

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

Devanagari script

क्रमादितिद्विदैवत्या बृहत्ताराः पराः समाः । तासां प्रमाणघटिकास्त्रिंशन्नवतिद्यष्टयः ॥ १९३ ॥

Transliteration

kramāditidvidaivatyā bṛhattārāḥ parāḥ samāḥ | tāsāṃ pramāṇaghaṭikāstriṃśannavatidyaṣṭayaḥ || 193 ||

Translation

क्रमाने तिथीच्या द्विदैवत्य-गणनेनुसार ‘बृहत्तारा’ वर्षे ही श्रेष्ठ (पर) वर्षे म्हणतात. त्यांचे मान-घटिका-प्रमाण तीस, नव्वद आणि आठ असे आहे॥

Word by Word

• kramāt: successively
• kramāt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् (adverbial ablative), पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचन — ‘in order/successively’

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इति-शब्दः (quotative/marker)

• dvi-daivatyāḥ: having two presiding deities
• dvi-daivatyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + daivatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः: dvi-daivatya = ‘having two deities’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — qualifying tārāḥ

• bṛhat-tārāḥ: the great stars
• bṛhat-tārāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक) + tārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः: bṛhat-tārā = ‘great stars’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• parāḥ: further/other
• parāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — qualifying tārāḥ

• samāḥ: equal/same (in measure)
• samāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — qualifying tārāḥ

• tāsām: of those (stars)
• tāsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन

• pramāṇa-ghaṭikāḥ: their measure in ghaṭikās
• pramāṇa-ghaṭikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ghaṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः: pramāṇa-ghaṭikā = ‘measuring ghaṭikās’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• triṃśat: thirty
• triṃśat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या (numeral), अव्ययवत्/अव्यय-प्रायः, here as first member of numeral compound

• navati: ninety
• navati: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: navati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या (numeral), here as member of numeral compound

• aṣṭayaḥ: eights (forming the number; i.e., 98)
• aṣṭayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-शब्दः (numeral used substantively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; whole numeral expression triṃśan-navati-aṣṭayaḥ ≈ 98 (as transmitted)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical enumeration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Tithi (lunar day)
• Bṛhat-tārā (class of years)
• Ghaṭikā (time unit)

FAQs

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

It frames disciplined time-reckoning as part of dharma: understanding sacred time (tithi, ghaṭikā, and year-classes) supports correct observance of vows, worship timings, and orderly practice that aids mokṣa-oriented life.

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

Bhakti is strengthened by proper observance of devotional timings; by defining technical measures of time, the text indirectly safeguards the accuracy of pūjā, vrata, and festival observances that are central to sustained Viṣṇu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astronomy/astrology): it uses technical units like tithi (lunar day with presiding deities) and ghaṭikā (time-measure) to classify and quantify a higher category of years (bṛhat-tārā).