Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

त्रिकालज्ञो भवेद्देवीं तेषु सम्यग्विचिंतयेत् । पूर्णप्रतीतौ भव्यानि विकलेऽभव्यमीरितम् ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

trikālajño bhaveddevīṃ teṣu samyagviciṃtayet | pūrṇapratītau bhavyāni vikale'bhavyamīritam || 52 ||

Translation

हे देवी! त्रिकालज्ञ होऊन त्या (लक्षणां)वर सम्यक् विचार करावा. प्रतीती पूर्ण असेल तर फल शुभ; आणि अपूर्ण असेल तर अशुभ असे सांगितले आहे।

Word by Word

• त्रि-काल-ज्ञः: knower of the three times (past, present, future)
• त्रि-काल-ज्ञः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेषु: in/among those (rites/places)
• तेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विचिन्तयेत्: should contemplate/visualize
• विचिन्तयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पूर्ण-प्रतीतौ: when the perception/conviction is complete
• पूर्ण-प्रतीतौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भव्यानि: auspicious results/things
• भव्यानि: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विकले: when it is deficient/incomplete
• विकले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) / पुंलिङ्ग (Masc) (contextual), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभव्यम्: inauspicious (result)
• अभव्यम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईरितम्: is said/declared
• ईरितम्: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressing a Devī/Devi-form interlocutor in the instructional frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devi

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined discernment: auspiciousness arises from complete, well-grounded understanding, while partial or confused judgment leads to inauspicious conclusions.

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

Indirectly, it supports Bhakti by insisting on right understanding and steady contemplation; devotion guided by clear discernment avoids fear and confusion about omens and outcomes.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa-style interpretive method: assess indications with three-time awareness and only pronounce results when the evidential ‘pratīti’ (certainty) is complete.