Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

मार्गशुक्लचतुर्थ्यां तु वर्षं यावन्मुनीश्वरा । क्षपयेदेकभक्तेन नक्तेनाथ द्वितीयकम् ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

mārgaśuklacaturthyāṃ tu varṣaṃ yāvanmunīśvarā | kṣapayedekabhaktena naktenātha dvitīyakam || 55 ||

Translation

يا أفضلَ الحكماء، ابتداءً من اليوم القمري الرابع (Caturthī) من النصف المضيء لشهر مارجَشِيرشا، ينبغي أن يُحافَظ على هذا النذر سنةً كاملة: في النهار تُؤكَل وجبةٌ واحدة (ekabhakta)، ثم تُؤدَّى الممارسة الثانية على هيئة «نَكْتَ» (nakta)، أي صومُ النهار وتناولُ الطعام ليلًا.

Word by Word

• मार्ग-शुक्ल-चतुर्थ्याम्: on the 4th (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्ग-शुक्ल-चतुर्थ्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—मार्गस्य शुक्लपक्षस्य चतुर्थी (genitive-relation determinative)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे “but/indeed”

• वर्षम्: for a year
• वर्षम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यावत्: for as long as
• यावत्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-निर्देशक (limit/extent marker) “as long as/for the duration of”

• मुनीश्वराः: O lords of sages
• मुनीश्वराः: सम्बोधन/आमन्त्रण (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—मुनीनां ईश्वराः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्षपयेत्: should observe/should spend (the time)
• क्षपयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद; अर्थः—“क्षपयेत्” = क्षपयति इति causative sense “should spend/should observe (by passing time)”

• एक-भक्तेन: with one meal (only)
• एक-भक्तेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—एकं भक्तं यस्य/एकभक्तः (one-meal regimen)

• नक्तेन: by eating at night (naktavrata)
• नक्तेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘नक्त’ = रात्रौ भुक्तिः/रात्रिभोजनव्रत (night-eating observance)

• अथ: then/next
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (then/next)

• द्वितीयकम्: the second (year/step)
• द्वितीयकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक (ordinal/sequence term)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada and assembled sages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It prescribes a disciplined year-long vrata aligned to a specific lunar tithi, emphasizing self-restraint (upavāsa) as a dharmic means to purify conduct and stabilize devotion.

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

By regulating food and daily routine through ekabhakta and nakta, the practitioner reduces sensory distraction and sustains steady devotional focus—an applied form of bhakti supported by vrata.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses tithi- and month-based timing (lunar calendar practice connected to Jyotiṣa/Vedāṅga) and specifies fasting modes (vrata-vidhi) such as ekabhakta and nakta.