Shloka 9

प्रलय-त्रिविध-विभागः एवं प्राकृतप्रलय-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

नाडिकाभ्याम् अथ द्वाभ्यां मुहूर्तो द्विजसत्तम अहोरात्रं मुहूर्तास् तु त्रिंशन् मासो दिनैस् तथा

Transliteration

nāḍikābhyām atha dvābhyāṃ muhūrto dvijasattama ahorātraṃ muhūrtās tu triṃśan māso dinais tathā

Translation

హే ద్విజశ్రేష్ఠా! రెండు నాడికలతో ఒక ముహూర్తం ఏర్పడుతుంది. ముహూర్తాలతో అహోరాత్రం, అలాగే ముప్పై దినాలతో మాసం ఏర్పడుతుంది.

Word by Word

• नाडिकाभ्याम्: by two nāḍikās
• नाडिकाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय; particle meaning 'then/and'

• द्वाभ्याम्: by two
• द्वाभ्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (सङ्ख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; numeral adjective agreeing with implied noun

• मुहूर्तः: a muhūrta
• मुहूर्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); सत्तम = सत् (कृदन्त) + तमप्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां सत्तमः)

• अहोरात्रम्: a day-and-night (one full day)
• अहोरात्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dvandva (day and night) used as a unit

• मुहूर्ताः: muhūrtas
• मुहूर्ताः: Pradhana (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अवधारणार्थक particle

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (सङ्ख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (संख्यावाचक); numeral used predicatively with 'मासः'

• मासः: a month
• मासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• दिनैः: by days (in days)
• दिनैः: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (measure)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारार्थक adverb

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Measures of time (nāḍikā, muhūrta, day-night, month) as groundwork for cosmic chronology

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time is structured in nested units, and this ordered measure underlies later accounts of cosmic cycles and dissolution.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use disciplined time-awareness (daily/weekly/monthly rhythms) to support steady sādhana and reflection on impermanence.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order (kāla-niyati) is a real mode of the Lord’s governance, not mere illusion, and becomes a support for contemplative devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of measuring time (kāla-māna) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse grounds cosmic and ritual chronology in precise units (nāḍikā, muhūrta, day-night, month), presenting time as an ordered structure that supports universal order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between nāḍikā, muhūrta, and a day?

Parāśara states that two nāḍikās make one muhūrta, and that day-and-night is counted through muhūrtas, establishing a step-by-step ladder of time units.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when discussing time-units, the Purana frames reality as orderly and intelligible—an expression of cosmic governance ultimately rooted in Vishnu as the supreme sustaining principle.