Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

चतुर्युगसहस्राणि ब्रह्मणो दिवसं मुने । तद्वन्मासो वत्सरश्च ज्ञेयस्तस्यापि वेधसः ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

caturyugasahasrāṇi brahmaṇo divasaṃ mune | tadvanmāso vatsaraśca jñeyastasyāpi vedhasaḥ || 30 ||

Translation

噢，牟尼啊，梵天（Brahmā）之一日，乃四劫（四瑜伽）轮回一千。亦复如是，彼维陀诃斯——造物主——之月与年，当知皆由此等日数而成。

Word by Word

• catur-yuga-sahasrāṇi: four-yuga thousands (i.e., thousands of four-yugas)
• catur-yuga-sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• divasam: day
• divasam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय/तद्वत्)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), adverbial particle (उपपद/क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'likewise'

• māsaḥ: month
• māsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vatsaraḥ: year
• vatsaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• jñeyaḥ: is to be known
• jñeyaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा धातु) + -ya (कृत्)
• Form: Kṛtya (कृत्य) gerundive/obligatory participle, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय), particle (निपात) meaning 'also/even'

• vedhasaḥ: of the Creator (Brahmā)
• vedhasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vedhas
• Narada

FAQs

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

It places human history within a vast cosmic scale, encouraging detachment (vairāgya) and reverence for dharma by showing that even the Creator’s “day” is measured in immense yuga-cycles.

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

By relativizing worldly time and achievement, the verse supports bhakti-oriented surrender: devotion to the eternal Lord is presented as more stable than pursuits bound to yuga and kalpa cycles.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kāla-vibhāga (time-reckoning) relevant to Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga: understanding yuga and Brahmā-day measures underpins traditional calendrical and cosmological computations.