Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Tithi-Nirṇaya for Vratas: Ekādaśī Rules, Saṅkrānti Punya-kāla, Eclipse Observances, and Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

प्रतिपद्दिवसे कुर्याद्यागं च मुनिसत्तम । पर्वणो यश्चतुर्थांश आद्याः प्रतिपदस्त्रयः ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

pratipaddivase kuryādyāgaṃ ca munisattama | parvaṇo yaścaturthāṃśa ādyāḥ pratipadastrayaḥ || 36 ||

Translation

يا أفضلَ المونِيّين، في يومِ براتيبادا (Pratipadā) يُقامُ الياغا (yāga)، أي عبادةُ القربان. وأوائلُ ثلاثةِ أيامِ براتيبادا تُعَدُّ رُبعَ ما يتعلّقُ بمراسمِ البارفَن (parvan) موضعِ التلاقي والاحتفال.

Word by Word

• प्रतिपत्-दिवसे: on the day of pratipadā
• प्रतिपत्-दिवसे: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपत् (प्रातिपदिक) + दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) ‘दिवस’, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘प्रतिपदः दिवसः’ = ‘day of pratipad’)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यागम्: a sacrifice/ritual offering
• यागम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनिसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); मुनि + सत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (‘सत्तमो मुनिः’)

• पर्वणः: of the parvan (festival/period)
• पर्वणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• यः: which/that (relative)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• चतुर्थांशः: the fourth part
• चतुर्थांशः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थांश (प्रातिपदिक); चतुर्थ + अंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘caturthaḥ aṃśaḥ’ = ‘fourth part’)

• आद्याः: the first/initial
• आद्याः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• प्रतिपदः: pratipadā days (first tithis)
• प्रतिपदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Vedic/epic plural form for प्रतिपदाः)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (numeral adjective)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Parvan-related observance (unnamed); pratipadā-yāga instruction

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It sanctifies the very beginning of the lunar cycle (Pratipadā) as a proper time for yāga, emphasizing disciplined observance of sacred time (kāla-dharma) at parvan junctions.

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

By prescribing worship at Pratipadā, it channels devotion into regular, time-bound offerings; such steady ritual worship supports bhakti through consistency and purity of practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics—using tithi (Pratipadā) and parvan-based timing—and the ritual-technical idea of dividing an observance into fractional parts (caturthāṃśa).