Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

The Exposition of the Pratipadā Vrata for the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

उपवासं यथाशक्ति पूजापाठजपादिकम् । मार्कंण्डेय पुराणोक्तं चरितत्रितयं द्विज ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

upavāsaṃ yathāśakti pūjāpāṭhajapādikam | mārkaṃṇḍeya purāṇoktaṃ caritatritayaṃ dvija || 32 ||

Translation

Faste (upavāsa) nach deiner Kraft und verrichte Verehrung, Rezitation, Japa und verwandte Observanzen; und, o Zweimalgeborener (dvija), vollziehe die drei heiligen Erzählungen, wie sie im Mārkaṇḍeya-Purāṇa gelehrt werden.

Word by Word

• उपवासम्: fasting
• उपवासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा-शक्ति: as per capacity
• यथा-शक्ति: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘according to one’s ability’

• पूजा-पाठ-जप-आदिकम्: worship, recitation, japa, etc.
• पूजा-पाठ-जप-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पाठ (प्रातिपदिक) + जप (प्रातिपदिक) + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative): ‘worship, recitation, japa, etc.’

• मार्कण्डेय: O Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• पुराण-उक्तम्: as stated in the Purāṇa
• पुराण-उक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त; वच् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (purāṇe uktam)

• चरित-त्रितयम्: the threefold narrative (three episodes)
• चरित-त्रितयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (caritānāṃ tritayam)

• द्विज: O twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Navarātra (implied continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

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

It frames spiritual practice as a balanced vrata: austerity (fasting) matched to one’s capacity, supported by devotion-centered acts like pūjā, pāṭha, and japa, and strengthened by listening/reading recognized Purāṇic sacred narratives.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through daily, repeatable disciplines—worship, recitation, and mantra-japa—so devotion becomes a lived practice rather than mere belief, guided by Purāṇic exemplars.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes applied ritual discipline—structured pāṭha (recitation) and japa (mantra repetition)—which rely on correct pronunciation and meter (Śikṣā/Chandas) and proper procedural performance in worship (Kalpa).