Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Yuga-Dharma Framework, Kali-Yuga Diagnosis, and the Hari-Nāma Remedy

Transition to Vedānta Inquiry

Devanagari script

संध्यासन्ध्यांशयुक्तानि युगानि सदृशानि वै । कालतो वेदितव्यानि इत्युक्तं तत्त्वादर्शिभिः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

saṃdhyāsandhyāṃśayuktāni yugāni sadṛśāni vai | kālato veditavyāni ityuktaṃ tattvādarśibhiḥ || 5 ||

Translation

ଯୁଗମାନେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟା ଓ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାଂଶ ସହିତ ଯୁକ୍ତ ହୋଇ ଗଠନରେ ସଦୃଶ; ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ କାଳମାନ ଅନୁସାରେ ବୁଝିବା ଉଚିତ— ଏହିପରି ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଦର୍ଶୀମାନେ କହିଛନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• संध्या-संध्या-अंश-युक्तानि: endowed with twilight and twilight-portions (dawn/dusk segments)
• संध्या-संध्या-अंश-युक्तानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + संध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (सम्बन्ध: ‘संध्यायाः संध्यायाश्च अंशैः युक्तानि’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘युगानि’

• युगानि: the yugas
• युगानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सदृशानि: similar, corresponding
• सदृशानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘युगानि’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अनुनासिक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कालतः: according to time
• कालतः: Hetu/Adhikarana (हेतु/अधिकरण; basis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + तसिल् (अव्ययार्थ)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/according to time’)

• वेदितव्यानि: are to be understood
• वेदितव्यानि: Vidhi (विधि/Predicative necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त gerundive (to be known); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय ‘युगानि’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमन-अव्यय (quotative)

• उक्तम्: has been said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया; reported statement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle: ‘said’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्त्व-दर्शिभिः: by the seers of truth
• तत्त्व-दर्शिभिः: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument: ‘by’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘तत्त्वं पश्यन्ति’/‘तत्त्वस्य दर्शिनः’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on time-measurement and Yuga structure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It frames cosmic time as an ordered dharmic structure: each Yuga has transitional junctions (sandhyā and sandhyāṃśa), and true understanding comes from measuring time (kāla) as taught by tattva-darśins.

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

By emphasizing kāla (time) and Yuga structure, it reminds devotees that practice must be aligned with the age: knowing one’s Yuga supports appropriate dharma and steadiness in Vishnu-bhakti amid changing conditions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Vedāṅga-style chronological discernment—kāla-nirṇaya (time determination) used in calendrics and ritual timing—where transitions (sandhyā/sandhyāṃśa) matter for correct reckoning.