Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

विधेर्द्दिने स्युर्विप्रेंद्र मनवस्तु चतुर्दश । तावत्येव निशा तस्य विप्रेंद्र परिकीर्तिता ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

vidherddine syurvipreṃdra manavastu caturdaśa | tāvatyeva niśā tasya vipreṃdra parikīrtitā || 63 ||

Translation

Ó melhor dos brāhmaṇas, dentro de um único dia do Criador (Brahmā) diz-se haver catorze Manus; e a noite d’Ele é declarada de igual duração.

Word by Word

• विधेः: of Brahmā (the Ordainer)
• विधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिने: in the day
• दिने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्युः: would be / are said to be
• स्युः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of brāhmaṇas
• विप्र-इन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• मनवः: Manus
• मनवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक (emphasis/contrast particle)

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द (indeclinable-like numeral); प्रथमा (Nominative) बहुवचनार्थे (denoting count)

• तावती: of that same extent
• तावती: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: just/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic/limiting particle)

• निशा: night
• निशा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: of that (Brahmā)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of brāhmaṇas
• विप्र-इन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• परिकीर्तिता: is declared
• परिकीर्तिता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग) + √कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma (Vidhi)
• Manus

FAQs

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

It places human life within vast cosmic cycles (kalpa/manvantara), encouraging detachment (vairāgya) and a mokṣa-oriented view of time rather than worldly urgency.

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

By showing the immensity and repetitiveness of cosmic time, it indirectly points to the stability of taking refuge in the eternal Lord beyond time—strengthening the bhakta’s focus on lasting spiritual attainment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa-style time reckoning used in Purāṇic cosmology: the division of Brahmā’s day into fourteen manvantaras and the equivalence of Brahmā’s night in duration.