Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

The exposition of the Pañcamī vow to be observed in the twelve months

Devanagari script

तस्मै तस्मै दिगीशाय पूजां सम्यक् प्रकल्पयेत् । एवं स्थित्वा निराहारस्तत्र यामचतुष्टयम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

tasmai tasmai digīśāya pūjāṃ samyak prakalpayet | evaṃ sthitvā nirāhārastatra yāmacatuṣṭayam || 11 ||

Translation

Jedem Herrn der Himmelsrichtungen (Digīśa) soll man die Verehrung richtig bereiten und darbringen. So verharrend, ohne Nahrung, soll man dort vier yāmas (einen Tag und eine Nacht) bleiben.

Word by Word

• तस्मै: to that (one)
• तस्मै: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मै: to each (one)
• तस्मै: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति (distributive)

• दिक्-ईशाय: to the lord of the direction
• दिक्-ईशाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha) ‘दिशाम् ईशः’; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यञ्च्/सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb: properly)

• प्रकल्पयेत्: should arrange/offer
• प्रकल्पयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• स्थित्वा: having stayed
• स्थित्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव, ‘having remained/stayed’

• निराहारः: fasting/without food
• निराहारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (Bahuvrihi) ‘निर्गतः आहारः यस्य’ (one whose food is absent); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb: there)

• याम-चतुष्टयम्: a set of four watches (four yāmas)
• याम-चतुष्टयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object: duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha) ‘यामानां चतुष्टयम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Purva Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: tapas (austerity)

Characters & Entities

• Digīśa (guardians of the directions)

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined, orderly worship—honoring the cosmic guardians of space (directions) and sustaining a focused vow through fasting for a complete cycle of time (four yāmas).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as careful ritual devotion (pūjā) performed with steadiness and self-restraint (nirāhāra), emphasizing sincerity and endurance rather than mere outward ceremony.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Jyotiṣa-style timekeeping through the unit yāma, showing how worship and vows are structured by precise ritual timing.