Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

चतुर्द्दशभिरेतैश्च ब्रह्मणो दिवसं मुने । यावत्प्रमाणं दिवसं तावद्रा त्रिः प्रकीर्तिता ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

caturddaśabhiretaiśca brahmaṇo divasaṃ mune | yāvatpramāṇaṃ divasaṃ tāvadrā triḥ prakīrtitā || 28 ||

Translation

噢牟尼啊，由这十四个摩奴期（Manvantara）便确定了梵天之“昼”的时量；而其“夜”亦被宣说与此昼等量同长。

Word by Word

• चतुर्दशभिः: by fourteen
• चतुर्दशभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• एतैः: by these
• एतैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दिवसम्: day
• दिवसम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• यावत्-प्रमाणम्: of whatever measure/as long as the measure
• यावत्-प्रमाणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (यावत् प्रमाणं यस्य)

• दिवसम्: day
• दिवसम्: Adhikarana/Karma (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तावत्: so much/that much
• तावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Correlative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• रात्रिः: night
• रात्रिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रिः: thrice / (as) threefold
• त्रिः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of repetition/number)

• प्रकीर्तिता: is proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तिता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि (is proclaimed)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It places human time within vast cosmic cycles, encouraging detachment and steadiness in dharma by showing that even a creator’s “day” and “night” are measured and finite.

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

By emphasizing the immensity and regularity of cosmic time, it supports the bhakti attitude of taking refuge in the timeless Lord rather than clinging to transient worldly durations.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns with Jyotiṣa/kalā-vicāra (astronomical and time-reckoning principles): understanding larger time units like Manvantara and Brahmā’s day helps frame scriptural chronology and traditional calendrical thinking.