Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

अथेषुशुक्लषष्ठ्यां तु पूज्या कात्यायनी द्विज । गंधाद्यैर्मंङ्गलद्रव्यैर्नैवेद्यैर्विविधैस्तथा ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

atheṣuśuklaṣaṣṭhyāṃ tu pūjyā kātyāyanī dvija | gaṃdhādyairmaṃṅgaladravyairnaivedyairvividhaistathā || 34 ||

Translation

Dann, am Ṣaṣṭhī, dem sechsten Mondtag der hellen Monatshälfte des Āśvina, o Zweimalgeborener, soll die Göttin Kātyāyanī mit Düften und anderen glückverheißenden Gaben sowie mit vielfältigem naivedya, Speiseopfern, verehrt werden.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/transition particle (now/then)

• इषु-शुक्ल-षष्ठ्याम्: on the sixth (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Iṣu (month)
• इषु-शुक्ल-षष्ठ्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषु (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (इषुमासस्य शुक्लपक्षस्य षष्ठी)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (contrast/emphasis)

• पूज्या: is to be worshipped
• पूज्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पूज् धातोः यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘to be worshipped’

• कात्यायनी: Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• द्विज: O twice-born
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (गन्धादयः = perfumes etc.)

• मङ्गल-द्रव्यैः: with auspicious items
• मङ्गल-द्रव्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (मङ्गलानि द्रव्याणि)

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (various)

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

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kātyāyanī-pūjā (vrata context implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Katyayani

FAQs

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

It prescribes a specific tithi-based Devī-upāsanā: worship of Kātyāyanī on Āśvina Śukla Ṣaṣṭhī using auspicious items and naivedya, emphasizing orderly, time-aligned ritual as a means of accruing dharmic merit and devotion.

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

Bhakti is expressed here through reverent, tangible service—offering fragrance, auspicious materials, and food—showing devotion as loving ritual attention (upacāra) directed to the Goddess on an auspicious sacred time.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-oriented ritual procedure and tithi reckoning (Pañcāṅga/time-division) are implied: identifying Āśvina, the bright fortnight, and Ṣaṣṭhī to time the worship correctly, along with standard upacāras like gandha and naivedya.