Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

चतुर्युगसहस्राणि ब्रह्मणो दिवसं मुने । तद्वन्मासो वत्सरश्च ज्ञेयस्तस्यापि वेधसः ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

caturyugasahasrāṇi brahmaṇo divasaṃ mune | tadvanmāso vatsaraśca jñeyastasyāpi vedhasaḥ || 30 ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਮੁਨੀ! ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਦਿਨ ਚਤੁਰਯੁਗਾਂ ਦੇ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਚੱਕਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਬਰਾਬਰ ਹੈ। ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਮਹੀਨਾ ਅਤੇ ਵਰ੍ਹਾ ਵੀ (ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਣੇ) ਜਾਣੋ, ਹੇ ਵੇਧਸ।

Word by Word

• catur-yuga-sahasrāṇi: four-yuga thousands (i.e., thousands of four-yugas)
• catur-yuga-sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• divasam: day
• divasam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय/तद्वत्)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), adverbial particle (उपपद/क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'likewise'

• māsaḥ: month
• māsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vatsaraḥ: year
• vatsaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• jñeyaḥ: is to be known
• jñeyaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा धातु) + -ya (कृत्)
• Form: Kṛtya (कृत्य) gerundive/obligatory participle, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), particle (निपात) meaning 'also/even'

• vedhasaḥ: of the Creator (Brahmā)
• vedhasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vedhas
• Narada

FAQs

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

It places human history within a vast cosmic scale, encouraging detachment (vairāgya) and reverence for dharma by showing that even the Creator’s “day” is measured in immense yuga-cycles.

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

By relativizing worldly time and achievement, the verse supports bhakti-oriented surrender: devotion to the eternal Lord is presented as more stable than pursuits bound to yuga and kalpa cycles.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kāla-vibhāga (time-reckoning) relevant to Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga: understanding yuga and Brahmā-day measures underpins traditional calendrical and cosmological computations.