Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वायव्य यातुधानौ द्वौ उत्तरे च ऋषिद्वयम् । ऐशान्ये विन्यसेत्पत्पे ग्रहमेको द्विजोत्तम ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

vāyavya yātudhānau dvau uttare ca ṛṣidvayam | aiśānye vinyasetpatpe grahameko dvijottama || 6 ||

Translation

في جهة الشمال الغربي (فايَفْيَا) يضع ياتودهانا اثنين، وفي الشمال يضع زوجًا من الرِّشي. وفي الشمال الشرقي (أيشانيا)، على مخطط اللوتس، يضع غراها واحدًا، يا أفضلَ ذوي الميلادين.

Word by Word

• वायव्ये: in the north-west (vāyavya quarter)
• वायव्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक (locative of place)

• यातुधानौ: two rākṣasas/demons
• यातुधानौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातुधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: विशेषण (Qualifier of यातुधानौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• उत्तरे: in the north
• उत्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ऋषिद्वयम्: a pair of sages
• ऋषिद्वयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगुसमास (two sages)

• ऐशान्ये: in the north-east (aiśānya quarter)
• ऐशान्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐशान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• विन्यसेत्: should place/arrange
• विन्यसेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-√अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पद्मे: in/on the lotus (diagram)
• पद्मे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; आधार/स्थान

• ग्रहम्: a ग्रह (planetary deity)
• ग्रहम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ग्रहम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Yātudhāna
• Ṛṣi
• Graha
• Īśāna (Aiśānya direction)

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is not only devotional but also ordered: beings and forces are ritually placed by direction on a lotus-maṇḍala so the rite becomes harmonized and protected.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through disciplined upacāra—serving the deity by constructing a correct sacred space (maṇḍala) where every placement supports focused remembrance and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science allied to Vedāṅga concerns—directional/maṇḍala arrangement and graha-related placement (astral considerations used in ritual procedure).