Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

निंबपत्रं ततोऽश्नीयाच्छयेद्भूमौ च वाग्यतः । द्विजान्परेऽह्नि संभोज्य स्वयं भुंजीत बंधुभिः ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

niṃbapatraṃ tato'śnīyācchayedbhūmau ca vāgyataḥ | dvijānpare'hni saṃbhojya svayaṃ bhuṃjīta baṃdhubhiḥ || 20 ||

Translation

Dann soll man Neemblätter essen und, schweigend, auf dem Boden liegen. Am folgenden Tag, nachdem man die Zweifachgeborenen (Brāhmaṇas) gespeist hat, soll man selbst zusammen mit den Verwandten essen.

Word by Word

• निंब-पत्रम्: a neem leaf
• निंब-पत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—निंब+पत्र (तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक (then/from that)

• अश्नीयात्: should eat
• अश्नीयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शयेत्: should lie down
• शयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• वाक्-यतः: restrained in speech
• वाक्-यतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—वाक्+यत (तत्पुरुष: ‘restrained in speech’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तृविशेषण)

• द्विजान्: Brahmins
• द्विजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), बहुवचन

• परे: on the next
• परे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अह्नि इति विशेष्ये)

• अह्नि: day
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• संभोज्य: having fed
• संभोज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having fed’

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक (reflexive adverb)

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• बन्धुभिः: with relatives
• बन्धुभिः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/सह/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins (Dvija)

FAQs

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

It outlines a vow-like discipline: austerity (sleeping on the ground), restraint (silence), and purification (neem), completed by charity and respect for dharma through feeding Brahmins before taking one’s own meal.

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

Though procedural, it supports bhakti by cultivating self-control and humility and by honoring dharmic service (anna-dāna). Such disciplined living is presented as a supportive framework for steady devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) through the sequencing of vow-actions—mauna, restraint, prescribed food, dvija-bhojana, and then one’s own meal—illustrating applied dharma in ritual observance.