Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 138

Devanagari script

शंकुच्छायाहते त्रिज्ये विषुवत्कर्कभाजिते । लंबाक्षज्ये तयोस्छाये लंबाक्षौ दक्षिमौ सदा ॥ १३८ ॥

Transliteration

śaṃkucchāyāhate trijye viṣuvatkarkabhājite | laṃbākṣajye tayoschāye laṃbākṣau dakṣimau sadā || 138 ||

Translation

Quando a trijyā (raio) é multiplicada pela sombra do śaṅku (śaṅku-chāyā) e depois dividida pelas medidas padrão do equinócio e de Câncer, a quantidade obtida é a lambākṣa-jyā, isto é, o seno da latitude. Das duas sombras assim obtidas, ambas as latitudes devem ser sempre tomadas como meridionais (dakṣiṇa).

Word by Word

• शंकु: gnomon
• शंकु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• छाया: shadow
• छाया: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• आहते: when multiplied/struck
• आहते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहत (कृदन्त; आ-√हन् + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in the (value) multiplied/struck’

• त्रिज्ये: in the radius (trijyā)
• त्रिज्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विषुवत्: as at the equinox
• विषुवत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विषुवत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यवाचक (comparative adverb)

• कर्क: Cancer (karka)
• कर्क: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound-member)

• भाजिते: when divided
• भाजिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाजित (कृदन्त; √भज् + णिच्? + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘when divided/portioned’

• लंबाक्ष: vertical axis
• लंबाक्ष: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लंब + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक; compound-member

• ज्ये: in the chord/sine
• ज्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तयोः: of the two
• तयोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• छाये: the two shadows
• छाये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्विवचन-रूपाभास?; actually छाये = प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचन (Nom/Acc dual)

• लंबाक्षौ: the two vertical axes
• लंबाक्षौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लंबाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• दक्षिमौ: southern/right-side
• दक्षिमौ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/astronomical context)

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 shows that Narada Purana integrates Moksha-oriented teaching with Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa: precise knowledge of time, direction, and seasonal markers supports correct dharma-practice and disciplined living.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing accurate astronomical reckoning (equinox/seasonal measures), it safeguards the proper timing of vrata and pūjā—practical supports that strengthen steady Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa and mathematical astronomy: using a gnomon’s shadow with trijyā and jya (sine) operations to derive lambākṣa (latitude) and determine southern orientation.