Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 76

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

सकुशं च सदूर्वं च पुष्पाक्षतसमन्वितम् । सशमीपत्रदधि च कृत्वा चंद्राय दापयेत् ॥ ७६ ॥

Transliteration

sakuśaṃ ca sadūrvaṃ ca puṣpākṣatasamanvitam | saśamīpatradadhi ca kṛtvā caṃdrāya dāpayet || 76 ||

Translation

Nachdem man eine Gabe mit Kuśa-Gras und Dūrvā-Gras, dazu Blumen und Akṣata (ungebrochene Reiskörner), sowie Śamī-Blätter und Dadhi (Quark/geronnene Milch) bereitet hat, soll man sie dem (Gott der) Mondheit darbringen lassen.

Word by Word

• सकुशम्: with kuśa grass
• सकुशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (सह कुशैः = with kuśa grass)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सदूर्वम्: with dūrvā grass
• सदूर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (सह दूर्वया = with dūrvā grass)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुष्पाक्षतसमन्वितम्: accompanied by flowers and unbroken rice
• पुष्पाक्षतसमन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्प + अक्षत + समन्वित (कृदन्त; सम्+अन्वि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) 'समन्वित' = endowed/combined; द्वन्द्व-समास (पुष्प + अक्षत) ततः तेन समन्वितम्

• सशमीपत्रदधि: curd with śamī leaves (included)
• सशमीपत्रदधि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-शमीपत्र-दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास: (1) स- (with) + (शमीपत्रदधि) (2) शमीपत्र + दधि = curd with śamī leaves

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृत्वा: having prepared/after doing
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having done/after preparing'

• चन्द्राय: to the Moon (Candra)
• चन्द्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दापयेत्: should have (it) offered
• दापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) (प्रेरण; causative दापय-)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); प्रेरण-प्रयोग (causative) = 'should cause to give/offer'

Speaker

Narada (in discourse to the Sanatkumara brothers, ritual instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Saṅkaṣṭa-vrata (contextual sequence)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)

FAQs

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

It prescribes a specific upacāra (ritual offering) to Candra, using pure, sattvic items like kuśa, dūrvā, flowers, akṣata, śamī leaves, and curd—signifying purification, auspiciousness, and alignment with lunar divinity.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined reverence: devotion is performed through carefully prepared offerings and prescribed materials, showing attentiveness (śraddhā) and ritual correctness as a form of worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa-oriented practice (graha-upāsanā/graha-śānti): a lunar remedy involving specific dravyas (ritual substances) offered to Candra, consistent with applied Vedic ritual-astrology.