Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

The Exposition of the Pratipadā Vrata for the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

सनातन उवाच । श्रृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि तिथीनां ते व्रतं पृथक् । तिथीशानुक्रमादेव सर्वसिद्धिविधायकम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

sanātana uvāca | śrṛṇu nārada vakṣyāmi tithīnāṃ te vrataṃ pṛthak | tithīśānukramādeva sarvasiddhividhāyakam || 4 ||

Translation

Sanātana sprach: Höre, o Nārada; ich werde dir die Gelübde (Vrata) zu den einzelnen Tithis gesondert darlegen. Schon das Befolgen der rechten Reihenfolge der Tithis wird zu einem Mittel, das alle Siddhis (Vollkommenheiten) verleiht.

Word by Word

• सनातनः: Sanātana
• सनातनः: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future/भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तिथीनाम्: of the tithis
• तिथीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun)

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तिथि-ईश-अनुक्रमात्: from the ordered sequence of the tithi-lords
• तिथि-ईश-अनुक्रमात्: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘तिथीनाम् ईशः’ → तिथीश; ततः ‘तिथीशस्य अनुक्रमः’ → तिथीशानुक्रम; पुँलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन (ablative: ‘from/by the sequence’)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• सर्व-सिद्धि-विधायकम्: granting all accomplishments
• सर्व-सिद्धि-विधायकम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + विधायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘सर्वासां सिद्धीनां विधायकः’ → सर्वसिद्धिविधायक; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्रतम् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Sanātana (Sanatkumāra brother)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: tithi-vrata (general category; vows for lunar days)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanātana

FAQs

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

It frames tithi-based vratas as a disciplined dharmic path: observing vows aligned to the lunar calendar in correct order is presented as a complete means for spiritual and worldly attainments (sarva-siddhi).

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

While bhakti is not named here, the verse establishes a structured devotional practice—regular vows tied to sacred time (tithi)—as the method Sanātana will teach to Nārada, implying devotion expressed through consistent observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to calendrical/astronomical discipline—knowing and following tithis in sequence—linking ritual performance to time-reckoning (Jyotiṣa-oriented practice within vrata observance).