Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

नैवेद्यैश्च फलैर्धूपैर्दीपैर्वस्त्रविभूषणैः । एवं यः पूजयेत्पैष्टं लिंगं सर्वार्थसिद्धिदम् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

naivedyaiśca phalairdhūpairdīpairvastravibhūṣaṇaiḥ | evaṃ yaḥ pūjayetpaiṣṭaṃ liṃgaṃ sarvārthasiddhidam || 17 ||

Translation

وبتقديم النَّيڤيدْيا، أي قرابين الطعام، والثمار، والبخور، والمصابيح، ومع الثياب والحُليّ—فمن يعبد على هذا النحو لينغا مصنوعًا من الدقيق (paiṣṭa) ينل تمامَ كل المقاصد والمرادات.

Word by Word

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• फलैः: with fruits
• फलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• दीपैः: with lamps
• दीपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• वस्त्रविभूषणैः: with garments and ornaments
• वस्त्रविभूषणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd—तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व ‘with clothes and ornaments’

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• पैष्टम्: made of flour/paste
• पैष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; पिष् धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective ‘made of flour/paste’

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• सर्वार्थसिद्धिदम्: granting success in all aims
• सर्वार्थसिद्धिदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष ‘giver of accomplishment of all aims’

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Liṅga-vrata (contextual continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere, properly offered upacāras—food, fragrance, light, and respectful adornment—make even a simple flour-made liṅga a potent focus of worship, yielding sarvārtha-siddhi (attainment of one’s righteous aims).

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

Bhakti is shown as expressed through tangible reverence: offering naivedya, lighting dīpa, and serving with care. The emphasis is on heartfelt worship with accessible materials, not on extravagance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual praxis (kalpa/ācāra) is highlighted through the standard pūjā-upacāras—naivedya, dhūpa, dīpa, vastra, ābharaṇa—demonstrating procedural correctness in worship.