Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 121

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

Devanagari script

त्रिज्यागुणा दिनव्यासभक्ता चापं च शत्रवः । तत्कार्मुकमुदक्रांतौ धनहीनो पृथक्क्षते ॥ १२१ ॥

Transliteration

trijyāguṇā dinavyāsabhaktā cāpaṃ ca śatravaḥ | tatkārmukamudakrāṃtau dhanahīno pṛthakkṣate || 121 ||

Translation

Dengan ukuran tiga serangkai (trijyā) lalu dibahagi menurut keluasan hari, hendaklah juga diperhatikan busur dan musuh. Apabila busur itu (kārmuka) terbit, orang yang kekurangan harta akan menanggung mudarat yang nyata dan berasingan.

Word by Word

• त्रि-ज्या-गुणा: multiplied by the radius (trijyā)
• त्रि-ज्या-गुणा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्या (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (त्रिज्यया गुणा = multiplied by the radius/chord)

• दिन-व्यास-भक्ता: divided by the day-diameter
• दिन-व्यास-भक्ता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √भज् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘भक्त’ = divided; तत्पुरुषः (दिनव्यासेन भक्ता)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आपम्: water / āpa (quantity)
• आपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शत्रवः: enemies / opposing values
• शत्रवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तत्-कार्मुकम्: that bow (kārmuka)
• तत्-कार्मुकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कार्मुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य कार्मुकम्)

• उद-क्रान्तौ: in the rising (udakrānti)
• उद-क्रान्तौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद् (उपसर्ग) + क्रान्ति (प्रातिपदिक, √क्रम् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; ‘उदक्रान्ति’ = rising/ascending passage

• धन-हीनः: lacking the bowstring/wealth
• धन-हीनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धनेन हीनः)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• क्षते: is diminished / is reduced
• क्षते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षन्/√क्षि (धातु) (क्षत/क्षते)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु-रूप ‘क्षते’ (क्षय/हानि करोति—contextual)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical-interpretive register within the Moksha-Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It shows that the Purana’s moksha-oriented teaching also accommodates practical discernment: time-measures and omens (interpreted through jyotiṣa-like language) are used to understand how worldly conditions such as prosperity or harm arise through karma and circumstance.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting instability in wealth and the rise of adversities, it nudges the seeker toward non-dependence on material security and toward steadiness in dharma—conditions supportive of sustained Vishnu-bhakti even when outcomes fluctuate.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa-style technical vocabulary: trijyā (a geometrical/astronomical measure), dinavyāsa (day-length), and arc/bow terms (cāpa/kārmuka) used to frame predictive or interpretive statements about conditions like enmity and loss.