Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 148

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

Devanagari script

उत्क्रमेण षडेवैते भवंतीष्टास्तुलादयः । गतभोग्यासवः कार्याः सायनास्स्वेष्टभास्कराः ॥ १४८ ॥

Transliteration

utkrameṇa ṣaḍevaite bhavaṃtīṣṭāstulādayaḥ | gatabhogyāsavaḥ kāryāḥ sāyanāssveṣṭabhāskarāḥ || 148 ||

Translation

Menurut tertib, enam ini menjadi pilihan yang diutamakan, bermula dari Tulā (Libra) dan seterusnya. Hendaklah dihitung bahagian yang telah berlalu (yang telah dinikmati) daripada tempoh hayat, dan ditentukan “sāyana” (condong/terbenam) bagi Matahari pilihan, yakni titik suria yang berkaitan untuk pengiraan.

Word by Word

• उत्क्रमेण: in reverse order
• उत्क्रमेण: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental adverb) = ‘in reverse order’

• षट्: six
• षट्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्/षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्या

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• भवन्ति: become/are
• भवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इष्टाः: desired/required
• इष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष्/‘desired/accepted’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त/PPP; विशेषण

• तुला-आदयः: Libra and the following (signs)
• तुला-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तुला आदिः येषाम्)

• गत-भोग्य-आसवः: āsavas for elapsed and remaining (to be undergone) portions
• गत-भोग्य-आसवः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु, क्त/PPP) + भोग्य (कृदन्त; √भुज् धातु, यत्/gerundive ‘to be enjoyed/undergone’) + आसव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गतं भोग्यं च यस्य/येषां ते आसवाः)

• कार्याः: should be made/are to be computed
• कार्याः: Kriya-sadhya (विधेय/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त; √कृ धातु, ण्यत्/gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त = ‘to be done/made’

• सायनाः: with ayana (sāyana)
• सायनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (with precession/with ayana)

• स्व-इष्ट-भास्कराः: (for) one’s chosen Sun (reference)
• स्व-इष्ट-भास्कराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्ट (कृदन्त) + भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य इष्टः भास्करः येषाम्/स्वेष्ट-भास्कर)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/Vedanga-style passage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Bhaskara (Sun)

FAQs

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

It shows that even within Moksha-oriented teaching, the Purana preserves disciplined Vedanga (Jyotiṣa) method—urging orderly calculation (sequence, elapsed span, solar reference) so that dharmic decisions are made with clarity and correctness.

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

Indirectly: it frames technical knowledge as supportive to dharma-based living, which in the Narada tradition becomes a stable foundation for Vishnu-bhakti—right timing and right understanding reduce confusion and strengthen steady devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic astronomy/astrology): using an ordered set of zodiacal signs (starting from Tulā), calculating elapsed/enjoyed life-period indicators, and applying the sāyana (ayana/declination) solar reference for accurate computation.