Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

घटोक्ष्णस्तु समः कर्कचापयोः शरसन्निभः । चापवत्कौर्महर्योश्च शूलवत्तुलकर्कयोः ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

ghaṭokṣṇastu samaḥ karkacāpayoḥ śarasannibhaḥ | cāpavatkaurmaharyośca śūlavattulakarkayoḥ || 19 ||

Translation

‘گھٹوکشْن’ نامی علامت برجِ سرطان اور برجِ قوس کے لیے یکساں ہے اور تیر کی مانند دکھائی دیتی ہے۔ برجِ جدی اور برجِ اسد کے لیے وہ کمان جیسی، اور برجِ میزان اور برجِ سرطان کے لیے نیزہ/شول کی مانند کہی گئی ہے۔

Word by Word

• ghaṭa-okṣṇaḥ: (having) pot-like/rounded horns (contextual epithet)
• ghaṭa-okṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + okṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); epithet (possibly of candraḥ understood)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (अव्यय, निपात)

• samaḥ: equal/similar
• samaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• karka-cāpayoḥ: of Cancer and Sagittarius
• karka-cāpayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karka (प्रातिपदिक) + cāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); ‘of Cancer and Sagittarius’

• śara-sannibhaḥ: resembling an arrow
• śara-sannibhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘arrow-like’

• cāpa-vat: bow-like
• cāpa-vat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable-like adjectival (वत्-प्रत्यय); here used predicatively; ‘having/like a bow’

• kaurma-haryoḥ: of Kaurma and Hari
• kaurma-haryoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaurma (प्रातिपदिक) + hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); ‘of Kaurma and Hari’ (sign-names)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (अव्यय, समुच्चय)

• śūla-vat: spear-like
• śūla-vat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: वत्-derivative adjective; predicative usage; ‘spear-like’

• tula-karkayoḥ: of Libra and Cancer
• tula-karkayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tulā (प्रातिपदिक) + karka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); ‘of Libra and Cancer’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It shows that even within Moksha Dharma, the Narada Purana preserves Vedanga-Jyotisha knowledge—symbolic indicators linked with rāśis—supporting a disciplined, scriptural approach to dharma that ultimately steadies the mind for liberation.

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

The verse is technical (Jyotisha) rather than directly devotional; its bhakti relevance is indirect—by organizing time/signs and traditional indicators, it supports orderly dharmic living and vrata-timing that can be dedicated to Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedanga Jyotisha: the verse gives rāśi-wise iconographic descriptions (arrow, bow, spear) for a named indicator (ghaṭokṣṇa), useful for traditional astrological classification and interpretive practice.