Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

Māsopavāsa (Month-long Fast) and Repeated Parāka Observances: Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

प्रत्यहं खादयेत्काष्ठं ह्यपामार्ग समुद्भवम् । ततः स्नायीत विधिन्नारायणपरायणः ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

pratyahaṃ khādayetkāṣṭhaṃ hyapāmārga samudbhavam | tataḥ snāyīta vidhinnārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ || 10 ||

Translation

كلَّ يومٍ ينبغي أن يمضغ المرء عودًا صغيرًا نابتًا من نبات الأپامارغا (apāmārga)؛ ثم، وهو متوجّه القلب إلى نارايانا، يغتسل وفق الشعيرة المقرّرة.

Word by Word

• प्रत्यहम्: every day
• प्रत्यहम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; कालवाचक-अव्यय (every day)

• खादयेत्: should make (someone) chew/eat
• खादयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) ‘cause to chew/eat’

• काष्ठम्: a piece of wood
• काष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• अपामार्ग: apāmārga (a plant)
• अपामार्ग: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे उपपदवत् (genitival relation to समुद्भवम्); प्रातिपदिक (plant name)

• समुद्भवम्: arisen from / produced from
• समुद्भवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उद् + भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृत्—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) विशेषण (काष्ठम्)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थे (thereafter)

• स्नायीत: should bathe
• स्नायीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• विधिना: according to the rule/procedure
• विधिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• नारायणपरायणः: devoted to Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणपरायणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायण + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नारायणस्य परायणः = devoted to Nārāyaṇa)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada within the Moksha/Dharma teaching flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: viṣṇu-māsa-vrata (context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narayana

FAQs

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

It links bodily purification (dantadhavana and snāna) with inner orientation—performing daily cleanliness as a devotional act with Nārāyaṇa as the supreme refuge.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical and continuous: even routine acts like brushing with a twig and bathing are to be done “nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ,” making daily life an offering-centered discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa-style ritual procedure (vidhi) within daily nitya-karmas—rules for personal purity (śauca) and prescribed bathing (snāna-vidhi).