Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

मार्तंडाख्यं व्रतं नाम कथयंति द्विजाः परे । एकमेवेति च प्रोक्तमेकदैवतया बुधैः ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

mārtaṃḍākhyaṃ vrataṃ nāma kathayaṃti dvijāḥ pare | ekameveti ca proktamekadaivatayā budhaiḥ || 55 ||

Translation

Einige gelehrte Zweimalgeborene berichten von einem Gelübde namens Mārtaṇḍa-vrata. Und die Weisen erklären es auch als „nur eines“, weil es mit einer einzigen Gottheit als Mittelpunkt begangen wird.

Word by Word

• मार्तण्डाख्यम्: called ‘Mārtaṇḍa’
• मार्तण्डाख्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of व्रतम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मार्तण्ड + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: मार्तण्ड-आख्य = ‘named Mārtaṇḍa (Sun)’

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: कर्म (Object of ‘call’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• नाम: by name/indeed
• नाम: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निपात (quotative/‘by name’)

• कथयन्ति: call/describe
• कथयन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• परे: others
• परे: कर्ता (Apposition to द्विजाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; adjective used substantively ‘others’

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: कर्म/उक्तिविषय (Quoted content)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; used in quotation ‘one (only)’

• एव: only
• एव: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• इति: thus
• इति: उक्तिसूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative marker)

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

• प्रोक्तम्: is said
• प्रोक्तम्: क्रिया (Predicate—passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘has been said’

• एकदैवतया: by the doctrine of one deity
• एकदैवतया: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (तल्/ता) ‘-tā’; समास: एक-दैवत-ता = ‘oneness of deity/single-deity principle’

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: कर्ता (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mārtaṇḍa-vrata (alternate naming/tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Martanda (Surya)

FAQs

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

It highlights a key rule of vrata-dharma: an observance becomes spiritually coherent and effective when it is performed with ekadaivata—exclusive focus on one chosen deity—here identified as Mārtaṇḍa (the Sun).

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

By stressing ‘one deity’ (ekadaivata), the verse points to single-pointed devotion and steadiness of worship, a bhakti principle where the mind is not scattered among multiple objects during a vow.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual discipline (kalpa-oriented practice): defining a vrata by its devatā-niyama (fixed presiding deity) is a practical rule for correct performance and consistent results.