Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे द्वादश्यां जलशायिनम् । उपोषितोऽर्चयेत्सम्यङ् नरः श्रद्धासमन्वितः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

mārgaśīrṣe site pakṣe dvādaśyāṃ jalaśāyinam | upoṣito'rcayetsamyaṅ naraḥ śraddhāsamanvitaḥ || 14 ||

Translation

في شهر مارغا شيرشا (Mārgaśīrṣa)، في النصف المضيء، في اليوم القمري الثاني عشر (دفادشي Dvādaśī)، على من صام أن يعبد على الوجه اللائق فيشنو، الراقد على المياه، بإيمانٍ راسخ.

Word by Word

• मार्गशीर्षे: in (the month of) Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन; मास-नाम (in the month Mārgaśīrṣa)

• सिते: in the bright (white)
• सिते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies पक्षे)

• पक्षे: fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन; तिथि-नाम

• जल-शायिनम्: the one who lies on the waters (Vishnu)
• जल-शायिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—जलशायी = जले शयिते (locative-tatpurusha), विष्णोः विशेषनाम

• उपोषितः: having fasted
• उपोषितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-वास् (धातु) → उपोषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘having fasted’ (qualifies नरः)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन

• श्रद्धा-समन्वितः: endowed with faith
• श्रद्धा-समन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—श्रद्धासमन्वित = श्रद्धया समन्वितः (instrumental-tatpurusha), ‘endowed with faith’ (qualifies नरः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/ritual context within the Narada Purana dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvādaśī-Viṣṇu-vrata (Jalaśāyī worship on Dvādaśī)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narayan(a)
• Jalashayi

FAQs

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

It teaches that faith-filled fasting (upavāsa) culminates in proper worship (arcana) of Viṣṇu, making a lunar observance (Dvādaśī in Mārgaśīrṣa śukla-pakṣa) a direct means to cultivate devotion and merit through disciplined ritual.

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

Bhakti is framed as sincere, regulated worship: the devotee fasts, then worships Viṣṇu “properly” and “with śraddhā,” emphasizing inner faith expressed through outward devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Vedāṅga-style calendrical discipline: identifying the correct lunar timing (śukla-pakṣa, Dvādaśī, month of Mārgaśīrṣa) for a vrata, reflecting Jyotiṣa-based ritual scheduling used in Purāṇic observances.