Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां पौर्णमास्यां द्वादश्यां वा नृपोत्तम । नालिकेरोदकैर्विष्णुं स्नापयेत्तत्फलं शृणु ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ paurṇamāsyāṃ dvādaśyāṃ vā nṛpottama | nālikerodakairviṣṇuṃ snāpayettatphalaṃ śṛṇu || 38 ||

Translation

يا خيرَ الملوك، في يوم إكاداشي أو يوم البدر (بورناماسي) أو يوم دفاداشي، ينبغي أن يُغسَّل الرب فيشنو بماء جوز الهند. فاسمع الآن ثمرة ذلك.

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम्: on Ekādaśī
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon day
• पौर्णमास्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर्णमासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• द्वादश्याम्: on Dvādaśī
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात; disjunctive particle ‘or’

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + उत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• नालिकेरोदकैः: with coconut water
• नालिकेरोदकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नालिकेरोदक (प्रातिपदिक; नालिकेर + उदक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (करण)

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (him)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) [णिच् causative: स्नापय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative; ‘should bathe (him)’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative used adjectivally

• फलम्: result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘hear!’

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekādaśī (also mentions Paurṇamāsī and Dvādaśī observance context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It prescribes a simple yet potent act of Viṣṇu-upāsanā—abhisheka (ritual bathing) with coconut water—specifically tied to sacred lunar days, emphasizing that devotion expressed through disciplined vrata-days yields definite spiritual merit.

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

Bhakti here is shown as reverent service (seva) to Viṣṇu through a tangible offering—bathing the deity—performed on Ekādaśī/Paurṇimā/Dvādaśī, aligning heartfelt worship with sacred time (kāla) to deepen devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights calendrical/astronomical timing (Jyotiṣa-based tithi observance) by specifying Ekādaśī, Paurṇimā, and Dvādaśī as the proper ritual windows for this Viṣṇu-abhisheka.