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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

प्रतिमासं ततः शुक्लेद्वादश्यां दानमाचरेत् । घृतप्रस्थं तच्चतुष्कं क्रमाद्वीहेर्यवस्य च ॥ ७८ ॥

pratimāsaṃ tataḥ śukledvādaśyāṃ dānamācaret | ghṛtaprasthaṃ taccatuṣkaṃ kramādvīheryavasya ca || 78 ||

ثم بعد ذلك، في كل شهر، في يوم دفادشي من النصف المضيء، ينبغي ممارسة الصدقة. فيُعطى مقدار «براسثا» (prastha) من السمن المصفّى (ghṛta)، وكذلك تُعطى أربعة مقادير على الترتيب—من الأرز ومن الشعير أيضاً.

prati-māsamevery month
prati-māsam:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootprati (अव्यय) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial): ‘every month’
tataḥthereafter
tataḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottataḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रमसूचक (thereafter)
śuklein the bright (fortnight)
śukle:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśukla (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘śukla-pakṣe’ ellipsis (in the bright fortnight)
dvādaśyāmon Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
dvādaśyām:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootdvādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तिथि-नाम
dānamgift/charity
dānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
ācaretshould perform
ācaret:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootcar (धातु) + ā (उपसर्ग)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; √चर् with ā- (to practice/perform)
ghṛta-prasthama prastha of ghee
ghṛta-prastham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + prastha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: a prastha-measure of ghee
tatthat
tat:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (contextual), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (that)
catuṣkama set of four
catuṣkam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootcatuṣka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समूहवाचक (a set of four)
kramātin sequence
kramāt:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkrama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial ablative): ‘in order/ क्रमशः’
vrīheḥof rice
vrīheḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootvrīhi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
yavasyaof barley
yavasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootyava (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय

Sage Nārada (continuing the instructional narration within the Anukramaṇikā-style section)

Vrata: monthly Dvādaśī dāna (as part of an ongoing vrata regimen; specific vrata-name not stated here)

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

It frames disciplined, recurring dāna (charity) on Śukla-Dvādaśī as a dharmic practice that purifies one’s livelihood and sustains religious merit through regularity rather than occasional giving.

By prescribing offerings of staple, sattvic foods (ghee, rice, barley) on an auspicious Vaiṣṇava tithi (Dvādaśī), it supports devotion through service and generosity—practical bhakti expressed as care for others and honoring sacred time.

It applies calendrical discipline (tithi-based observance—Dvādaśī in Śukla pakṣa) and traditional metrology (prastha as a ritual measure), reflecting applied Jyotiṣa (time-reckoning) and Kalpa-style ritual procedure.