Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

प्रोक्ता मत्स्यजयंती तु पंचमी मधुशुक्लगा । अस्यां मत्स्यावतारार्चा भक्तैः कार्या महोत्सवा ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

proktā matsyajayaṃtī tu paṃcamī madhuśuklagā | asyāṃ matsyāvatārārcā bhaktaiḥ kāryā mahotsavā || 2 ||

Translation

Es ist verkündet, dass die Matsya-Jayantī auf den Pañcamī der hellen Monatshälfte des Monats Madhu (Caitra) fällt. An diesem Tag sollen die Bhaktas die Verehrung von Viṣṇus Matsya-Avatāra als großes Fest begehen.

Word by Word

• प्रोक्ता: is declared
• प्रोक्ता: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate ‘is said/declared’ (agreeing with जयंती/पञ्चमी)

• मत्स्य-जयंती: Matsya-jayantī
• मत्स्य-जयंती: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + जयंती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘मत्स्यस्य जयंती’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; name of observance/day

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• पञ्चमी: the Pañcamī (fifth tithi)
• पञ्चमी: समनाधिकरण (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to मत्स्यजयंती

• मधु-शुक्ल-गा: occurring in Madhu month’s bright fortnight
• मधु-शुक्ल-गा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + गा (गम्/गा ‘to go’—कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘going/occurring’)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (बहुपद-विशेषण): ‘मधुमासस्य शुक्लपक्षे गा’ = occurring in the bright half of Madhu month; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifying पञ्चमी

• अस्याम्: on this (day)
• अस्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘on this (tithi)’

• मत्स्य-अवतार-अर्चा: worship of the Matsya incarnation
• मत्स्य-अवतार-अर्चा: कर्ता (Kartā/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतार (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध): ‘मत्स्यावतारस्य अर्चा’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject of implied ‘(भवति)’/predicate with कार्या

• भक्तैः: by devotees
• भक्तैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; instrumental ‘by devotees’

• कार्या: should be performed
• कार्या: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त, यत्/य-प्रत्यय, भाव्य/कर्तव्य)
• Form: कृदन्त-कर्तव्य (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate ‘should be done’ (agreeing with अर्चा)

• महा-उत्सवा: as a great festival
• महा-उत्सवा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—कर्मधारय: ‘महान् उत्सवः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifying अर्चा (as a grand celebration)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Narada Purana’s vrata/tithi instructions, traditionally in dialogue context with Sanatkumara lineage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Matsya Jayantī (Pañcamī observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Matsya Avatara

FAQs

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

It sanctifies a specific tithi (Caitra/Madhu śukla pañcamī) for honoring Vishnu’s Matsya avatāra, presenting time-aligned worship as a direct means of accruing devotional merit through festival-grade arcana.

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

Bhakti is expressed as concrete service—performing Matsya-avatāra arcā with a mahotsava spirit—showing that devotion is practiced through joyful, reverent worship rather than mere belief.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It applies calendrical discipline—tithi and lunar fortnight identification (pañcamī, śukla pakṣa, Madhu/Caitra)—which aligns with Jyotiṣa-style timekeeping used for vrata and ritual scheduling.