Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

इदं गौरीव्रतं विप्र सौभाग्यारोग्यवर्द्धनम् । प्रतिवर्षं प्रकर्त्तव्यं नारीभिश्च नरैस्तथा ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

idaṃ gaurīvrataṃ vipra saubhāgyārogyavarddhanam | prativarṣaṃ prakarttavyaṃ nārībhiśca naraistathā || 84 ||

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa, dieses Gaurī-Gelübde mehrt Glück und Gesundheit. Es soll jedes Jahr vollzogen werden — von Frauen und ebenso von Männern.

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश (this)

• गौरी-व्रतम्: Gaurī-vow
• गौरी-व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विषय/कर्म (the vow being discussed)

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन (vocative address)

• सौभाग्य-आरोग्य-वर्द्धनम्: increasing good fortune and health
• सौभाग्य-आरोग्य-वर्द्धनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आरोग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; गौरीव्रतम्-विशेषणम् (that which increases good fortune and health)

• प्रति-वर्षम्: every year
• प्रति-वर्षम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of frequency)

• प्रकर्त्तव्यम्: should be performed
• प्रकर्त्तव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) → प्रकर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्-प्रत्यय; कर्तव्य)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-कर्तव्यता (to be performed)

• नारीभिः: by women
• नारीभिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृकरण-समूह (agents)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृकरण-समूह (agents)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (also/likewise)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction to a brāhmaṇa interlocutor within the vrata-vidhi narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Gaurī-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gauri (Parvati)

FAQs

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

It frames Gaurī-vrata as a dharmic annual observance that supports both auspicious life-circumstances (saubhāgya) and bodily wellbeing (ārogya), showing how Purāṇic vrata integrates spiritual discipline with lived welfare.

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

By prescribing a repeated (annual) vow dedicated to Gaurī, it emphasizes steady devotional practice expressed through vrata—regular, intentional worship that cultivates grace and auspicious outcomes.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application is highlighted through vrata-vidhi and calendrical regularity (“every year”), aligning practice with time-reckoning (Jyotiṣa/kalā) used to schedule recurring observances.