Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

The Exposition of the Pratipadā Vrata for the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

अथोर्जसितपक्षत्यां नवरात्रोदितं चरेत् । विशेषादन्नकूटाख्यं विष्णुप्रीतिविवर्धनम् ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

athorjasitapakṣatyāṃ navarātroditaṃ caret | viśeṣādannakūṭākhyaṃ viṣṇuprītivivardhanam || 35 ||

Translation

Dann soll man in der hellen Monatshälfte des Monats Ūrja (Āśvina) die vorgeschriebene Feier der Neun Nächte, Navarātri, begehen. Besonders ist das Opfer Annakūṭa, der „Speiseberg“, darzubringen, denn es vermehrt in hohem Maße die Zufriedenheit des Herrn Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• ūrjasi-ta-pakṣa-tyām: in the bright fortnight of Āśvina (seasonal period)
• ūrjasi-ta-pakṣa-tyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण—काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrjasi (प्रातिपदिक) + ta (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (उर्जसि-त-पक्ष = आश्विन-शुक्लपक्ष इत्यर्थे प्रचलित); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (locative of time)

• navarātra-uditam: arisen/observed in Navarātra
• navarātra-uditam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + rātra (प्रातिपदिक) + udita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (नवरात्रे उदितम्/प्रवृत्तम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (object qualifier)

• caret: should practice/perform
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (आज्ञा/विधि), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (injunctive: 'one should perform')

• viśeṣāt: especially
• viśeṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (ablative used adverbially: 'especially')

• anna-kūṭa-ākhyam: called ‘Annakūṭa’
• anna-kūṭa-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + kūṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अन्नकूट इति आख्यं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• viṣṇu-prīti-vivardhanam: increasing Viṣṇu’s pleasure
• viṣṇu-prīti-vivardhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + prīti (प्रातिपदिक) + vivardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः प्रीतेः विवर्धनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Navarātra

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Urja (Ashvina)
• Navaratri
• Annakuta

FAQs

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

It teaches that properly timed vrata-observance—especially during the bright fortnight of Ūrja (Āśvina)—and the Annakūṭa food-offering is a direct means to increase Viṣṇu’s prīti (divine pleasure), emphasizing devotion expressed through sacred giving and worship.

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

Bhakti here is shown as practical worship: observing Navarātri as enjoined and offering Annakūṭa with reverence. The verse frames devotion as loving service (sevā) that pleases Viṣṇu, not merely as belief.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights calendrical/ritual timing—observing rites in a specific lunar fortnight and month—reflecting applied Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy) used for determining proper vrata periods.