Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 116

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

एताभ्योऽन्त्र विप्रेंद्र द्वादश्यामेकभुक्तकम् । निसर्गतः समुद्दिष्टं व्रतं पातकनाशनम् ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

etābhyo'ntra vipreṃdra dvādaśyāmekabhuktakam | nisargataḥ samuddiṣṭaṃ vrataṃ pātakanāśanam || 116 ||

Translation

يا أفضلَ البراهمة، من بين هذه العبادات، إن نذر «الأكل مرةً واحدة» في يوم دفادشي قد أُعلن بطبيعته أنه وِرَتَةٌ تمحو الآثام.

Word by Word

• etābhyaḥ: from these
• etābhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; 'from these'

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय: 'here/in this context'

• vipra-indra: O best of Brahmins
• vipra-indra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (viprāṇām indraḥ) = 'O best of Brahmins'

• dvādaśyām: on Dvādaśī
• dvādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• eka-bhuktakam: the one-meal (observance)
• eka-bhuktakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuktaka (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (ekaṃ bhuktakam) = 'single-meal observance'

• nisargataḥ: by nature
• nisargataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nisargataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'by nature/naturally'

• samuddiṣṭam: prescribed
• samuddiṣṭam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√diś (धातु) → samuddiṣṭa (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'has been prescribed/indicated' (agrees with vrataṃ)

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pātaka-nāśanam: sin-destroying
• pātaka-nāśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pātakānāṃ nāśanam) = 'destroyer of sins' (predicate/qualifier of vrata)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a leading brāhmaṇa / interlocutor within the vrata discussion)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekabhuktaka-vrata on Dvādaśī (within the Dvādaśī vrata set)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Dvadashi
• Vrata

FAQs

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

It elevates the Dvādaśī ‘ekabhukta’ (single-meal) observance as inherently pātaka-nāśana—an accessible vrata whose disciplined restraint purifies faults and supports dharmic living.

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

By recommending a simple, repeatable vrata tied to the sacred tithi cycle (Ekādaśī–Dvādaśī), it frames bodily restraint as a support for steady remembrance and worship—typical of Vaiṣṇava bhakti practice in Purāṇic teaching.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-style ritual discipline and tithi-based timing: the verse presumes knowledge of the lunar calendar (Dvādaśī) and codifies a concrete rule of observance (ekabhukta), aligning practice with dharma-śāstric vrata-vidhi.