Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

The Exposition of the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Observed Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

सखीभिः सहिता साध्वी तां रात्रिं प्रसभं नयेत् । न च संमीलयेन्नेत्रे नारीयामचतुष्टयम् ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

sakhībhiḥ sahitā sādhvī tāṃ rātriṃ prasabhaṃ nayet | na ca saṃmīlayennetre nārīyāmacatuṣṭayam || 21 ||

Translation

In Begleitung ihrer Gefährtinnen soll die tugendhafte Frau jene Nacht in wachsamer Anstrengung verbringen; und während der vier Nachtwachen soll sie die Augen nicht schließen (also wach bleiben).

Word by Word

• सखीभिः: with female friends
• सखीभिः: Sahakāraka (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with/by)

• सहिता: accompanied
• सहिता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहिता (कृदन्त; √धा/हित ‘to place’ + सम्/सह-; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle used adjectivally

• साध्वी: the virtuous woman
• साध्वी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ताम्: that (night)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular pronoun

• रात्रिम्: night
• रात्रिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्रसभम्: forcefully/with intensity
• प्रसभम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रसभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नयेत्: should spend/lead (through)
• नयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘should lead/spend’

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• संमीलयेत्: should close
• संमीलयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √मील् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘should close’

• नेत्रे: (her) two eyes
• नेत्रे: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Accusative dual (eyes)

• नारी-याम: the women’s watch (night-period)
• नारी-याम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘of women’): नारीणां यामः/यामा; Accusative singular

• चतुष्टयम्: a set of four (watches)
• चतुष्टयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

Speaker

Narada (as narrator/teacher within the Anukramanika-style instructions)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined wakeful vigilance (jāgaraṇa) as a core austerity within a vrata: staying alert through the night symbolizes steadiness of mind and commitment to religious observance.

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

By prescribing night-long wakefulness, it supports sustained remembrance and worship practices typically associated with devotional observances, where alertness is used to maintain continuous focus on the chosen deity and vow.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses traditional time-division (yāma—night watches), reflecting practical calendrical/timekeeping conventions relevant to ritual performance (connected with Jyotiṣa-style time reckoning for vrata timings).