Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

सुखं स्वप्यान्निशायां तु भूमावेव कृतार्चनः । व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावेण कामान्मनसि चिंतितान् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

sukhaṃ svapyānniśāyāṃ tu bhūmāveva kṛtārcanaḥ | vratasyāsya prabhāveṇa kāmānmanasi ciṃtitān || 15 ||

Translation

Nachdem er die Verehrung vollzogen hat, soll er nachts behaglich auf bloßer Erde schlafen; durch die Kraft dieses Gelübdes werden die im Herzen erwogenen Wünsche erfüllt.

Word by Word

• सुखम्: comfortably, happily
• सुखम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial accusative usage)

• स्वप्यात्: should sleep
• स्वप्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• निशायाम्: at night
• निशायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक particle

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

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

• कृतार्चनः: one who has performed worship
• कृतार्चनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त/कृदन्त) + अर्चन (अर्च्-धातु, ल्युट्/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कृतम् अर्चनम् यस्य/कृत-अर्चनः)

• व्रतस्य: of the vow
• व्रतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रभावेण: by the power/effect
• प्रभावेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• कामान्: desired objects/wishes
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• मनसि: in the mind
• मनसि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• चिन्तितान्: thought of, contemplated
• चिन्तितान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (thought-of)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in discourse to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It teaches vrata-niyama (discipline of a vow): after arcana (worship), adopting simplicity—such as sleeping on the ground—strengthens the vow’s efficacy, making the practitioner receptive to its promised fruits.

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

Bhakti is expressed not only through prayer but through embodied humility and regulated conduct; worship (arcana) followed by austerity-like simplicity is presented as devotion made steady through practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (kalpa-style vrata-vidhi) is implied: perform arcana and maintain prescribed niyamas (such as sleeping on the ground), emphasizing correct observance rather than a technical Vedanga like Vyakarana or Jyotisha.