Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

गर्भैकादशमेऽब्दे तु राजन्यस्योपनायनम् । आद्वाविंशाब्दपर्यंतं कालमाहुर्विपश्चितः ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

garbhaikādaśame'bde tu rājanyasyopanāyanam | ādvāviṃśābdaparyaṃtaṃ kālamāhurvipaścitaḥ || 12 ||

Translation

أمّا للكشترِيّا (rājanya)، فيُشرَع طقس الأوبانايانا (الانخراط في دراسة الفيدا) في السنة الحادية عشرة محسوبةً من الحمل؛ ويقرّر العلماء أنّ نافذة الإذن تمتدّ إلى السنة الثانية والعشرين.

Word by Word

• गर्भैकादशमे: in the eleventh (year) from conception
• गर्भैकादशमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भ-एकादशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; गर्भात् एकादशमः इति पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष (eleventh from conception) (अब्दे इति अध्याहृतम्)

• अब्दे: in the year (of age)
• अब्दे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative)

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• राजन्यस्य: of the kṣatriya (rājanya)
• राजन्यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive)

• उपनायनम्: initiation (upanayana)
• उपनायनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied with आहुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उप-नी (धातु)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-नाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आद्वाविंशाब्दपर्यन्तम्: up to twenty-two years
• आद्वाविंशाब्दपर्यन्तम्: अवधि (Avadhi/Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-द्वा-विṃश-अब्द-पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial limit: up to twenty-two years)

• कालम्: time/period
• कालम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम् (they say)

• विपश्चितः: the learned (sages)
• विपश्चितः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (subject)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma/saṃskāra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames upanayana as a dharmic threshold into disciplined Vedic learning, emphasizing that spiritual education should begin within a proper life-stage window defined by śāstra.

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

Indirectly: by establishing eligibility and timing for Vedic training, it supports the foundation—self-discipline, mantra practice, and right conduct—through which devotion and worship mature.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/ritual procedure is implied: the verse gives a technical rule for the samskāra calendar (age computation from conception and the upper limit for performing upanayana).