Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

नैवेद्यं मोदकं कल्प्यं गणेशः प्रीयतामिति । जागरैर्शीतवाद्याद्यैः पुराणाख्यानकैश्चरेत् ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

naivedyaṃ modakaṃ kalpyaṃ gaṇeśaḥ prīyatāmiti | jāgarairśītavādyādyaiḥ purāṇākhyānakaiścaret || 60 ||

Translation

Nachdem man Naivedya, die Speisegabe, bereitet hat — besonders die süßen Modaka — soll man beten: „Möge Gaṇeśa Wohlgefallen finden.“ Ferner soll man eine nächtliche Vigil halten, begleitet von kühl-sanften Klängen und der Rezitation puranischer Erzählungen.

Word by Word

• naivedyam: food offering (naivedya)
• naivedyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• modakam: modaka sweet
• modakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: modaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• kalpyam: to be prepared / should be made
• kalpyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kḷp (कॢप् धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → kalpya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भाव्य/विधेय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Gerundive/obligatory, Neuter, Accusative, Singular (agreeing with naivedyam/modakam)

• gaṇeśaḥ: Gaṇeśa
• gaṇeśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• prīyatām: may (he) be pleased
• prīyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (प्री धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्गसदृश), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; Imperative, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha/Marker (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः, उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय; Quotative/particle

• jāgaraiḥ: with night-vigils / wakefulness
• jāgaraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• śīta-vādya-ādyaiḥ: with cool musical instruments etc.
• śīta-vādya-ādyaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīta (प्रातिपदिक) + vādya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; ‘शीतवाद्य’ = शीतं वाद्यं/शीतसम्बन्धि वाद्यं), ‘आदि’ सहित; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental, Plural

• purāṇa-ākhyānakaiḥ: with Purāṇa narratives
• purāṇa-ākhyānakaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyānaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; पुराणस्य आख्यानकानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय; Conjunction

• caret: one should perform/observe
• caret: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (चर् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Optative, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Narada (teaching in Purāṇic instructional context; transmitted within the Narada Purana’s dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is expressed through both offering (naivedya like modaka) and sustained remembrance—staying awake in vigil while listening to sacred Purāṇic narratives.

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

Bhakti here is practical: pleasing the deity through loving offerings and continuous engagement of mind and senses via jagaraṇa, music, and Purāṇa-kathā (devotional storytelling).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (kalpa-style upacāra) is implied: preparing naivedya, making a formal pleasing-prayer, and structuring a jagaraṇa with sanctioned devotional recitation.