Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Graha–Ketu–Utpāta Lakṣaṇas: Solar/Lunar Omens, Comets, Eclipses, and Calendar Rules

Devanagari script

दुर्भिक्षं क्षुद्भयं रोगान्करोति क्षितिनंदनः । अष्टादशे सप्तदशे तद्वक्रं मुशलाह्वयम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

durbhikṣaṃ kṣudbhayaṃ rogānkaroti kṣitinaṃdanaḥ | aṣṭādaśe saptadaśe tadvakraṃ muśalāhvayam || 31 ||

Translation

โอ้โอรสแห่งปฐพี (โอ้พระราชา) สิ่งนี้ก่อให้เกิดทุพภิกขภัย ความหวาดกลัวความหิว และโรคาพาธ ในลำดับที่สิบแปด ณ ตำแหน่งที่สิบเจ็ด รูปอันคดเคี้ยวอัปมงคลนั้นเรียกว่า “มุศละ”

Word by Word

• दुर्भिक्षम्: famine
• दुर्भिक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• क्षुद्भयम्: fear of hunger
• क्षुद्भयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुद् + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षुदः भयम्)

• रोगान्: diseases
• रोगान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• करोति: causes / makes
• करोति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षितिनन्दनः: son of the earth (king)
• क्षितिनन्दनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षितेः नन्दनः)

• अष्टादशे: in the eighteenth (year/period)
• अष्टादशे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (अष्ट + दश)

• सप्तदशे: in the seventeenth (year/period)
• सप्तदशे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (सप्त + दश)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वक्रम्: crookedness / a crooked (form)
• वक्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुशलाह्वयम्: named ‘Muśala’
• मुशलाह्वयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुशल + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थ-तत्पुरुष (मुशल-आह्वयः = ‘called Muśala’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; astrological/omen-based effects within Moksha Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames collective suffering (famine, hunger, disease) as a recognizable sign within a cosmic order, urging rulers and practitioners to respond with dharma—protecting subjects, performing purificatory rites, and strengthening sattva rather than panic.

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

While the verse is technical (omen/Jyotiṣa), its implied remedy aligns with Purāṇic bhakti: in times of affliction one steadies the mind through Hari-bhakti, charity, and dharmic conduct, treating adversity as a prompt for sincere refuge in the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga: the verse uses technical markers like ‘vakra’ (irregular/crooked motion or configuration) and a named condition ‘Muśala,’ indicating a predictive/diagnostic system for social calamities used by kings and ritual specialists.