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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Śokanivāraṇa: Non-brooding, Impermanence, Contentment, and Śuka’s Renunciation

अपयंत्ययमत्यंतं पक्षयोः शुक्लकृष्णयोः । जातं मर्त्यं जरयति निमिषं नावतिष्टते ॥ १८ ॥

apayaṃtyayamatyaṃtaṃ pakṣayoḥ śuklakṛṣṇayoḥ | jātaṃ martyaṃ jarayati nimiṣaṃ nāvatiṣṭate || 18 ||

O tempo escoa implacável pelas quinzenas clara e escura; ele envelhece o mortal que nasce e não permanece nem por um instante.

अपयन्तिgo away/pass
अपयन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअप + या (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)
अयम्this (time)
अयम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)
अत्यन्तम्entirely
अत्यन्तम्:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
Formअव्यय (adverb) = completely/utterly
पक्षयोःof the two fortnights
पक्षयोः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative dual); here Genitive dual 'of the two fortnights'
शुक्लकृष्णयोःof the bright and dark (halves)
शुक्लकृष्णयोः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुक्ल + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (Genitive/Locative dual); द्वन्द्व-समासः = 'bright and dark' (fortnights)
जातम्born
जातम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootजन् (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)
मर्त्यम्a mortal
मर्त्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)
जरयतिmakes (him) age
जरयति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजर्/जॄ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); णिच् (causative) sense = 'causes to age'
निमिषम्for a moment
निमिषम्:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootनिमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular); काल-परिमाण (measure of time) used adverbially
not
:
Pratiṣedha-dyotaka (प्रतिषेध-द्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध (negation particle)
अवतिष्ठतेremains/stands still
अवतिष्ठते:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव + स्था (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

It instills vairagya by stressing that kāla moves ceaselessly—measured even by the waxing and waning lunar fortnights—so one should not delay dharma and the pursuit of moksha.

By highlighting life’s brevity and inevitable decay, it urges immediate, steady remembrance and worship of the Lord rather than postponing bhakti to a later stage of life.

It points to Jyotiṣa-style time reckoning through śukla and kṛṣṇa pakṣa (lunar fortnights), a practical calendrical framework used to time vrata, worship, and disciplined spiritual routines.