Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

देवदेवप्रसादेन भुक्तिमुक्तिमवाप्नुयात् । अथ कार्तिकशुक्लायां शाकाख्यं सप्तमीव्रतम् ॥ ४५ ॥

Transliteration

devadevaprasādena bhuktimuktimavāpnuyāt | atha kārtikaśuklāyāṃ śākākhyaṃ saptamīvratam || 45 ||

Translation

Durch die Gnade des Gottes der Götter erlangt man sowohl weltlichen Genuss als auch Befreiung. Nun (wird beschrieben) das Gelübde namens Śāka, das am siebten Mondtag der hellen Monatshälfte des Kārttika zu halten ist.

Word by Word

• देव-देव-प्रसादेन: by the grace of the Lord of gods
• देव-देव-प्रसादेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: देवदेवस्य प्रसादः (by the grace of the God of gods)

• भुक्ति-मुक्तिम्: enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्ति-मुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (समाहार/युगपदर्थे); द्वन्द्व: भुक्तिः च मुक्तिः च

• अवाप्नुयात्: would obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), तृतीयपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: अव-आप् (to obtain)

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Vākyārambha (वाक्यारम्भ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थे (then/now)

• कार्तिक-शुक्लायाम्: in Kārtika’s bright fortnight
• कार्तिक-शुक्लायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: कार्तिकस्य शुक्ला (in the bright fortnight of Kārtika)

• शाक-आख्यम्: called ‘Śāka’
• शाक-आख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शाक इति आख्यं (named ‘Śāka’)

• सप्तमी-व्रतम्: the seventh-day vow
• सप्तमी-व्रतम्: Karma/Topic (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सप्तम्याः व्रतम् (vow of the seventh day)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana’s vrata section; teachings ultimately attributed to Narada’s tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Śāka-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devadeva

FAQs

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

It states that divine grace (Devadeva’s prasāda) is the decisive cause for attaining both bhukti (worldly well-being) and mukti (liberation), and it introduces a specific Kartika observance—the Śāka Saptamī-vrata—as a means aligned with that grace.

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

The verse centers results on ‘prasāda’ (divine favor), implying that devotion and faithful observance of vows in Kārttika are not merely mechanical rituals but acts meant to please Devadeva, through whom both material and spiritual goals are fulfilled.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It applies calendrical/ritual timing—observance on Kārttika śukla pakṣa and the Saptamī tithi—reflecting practical Jyotiṣa-based vrata scheduling used in Purāṇic ritual systems.