Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

माघे तु कृष्णसप्तम्यां व्रतं सर्वाप्तिसंज्ञकम् । समुपोष्य दिने तस्मिन्सम्पूज्यादित्यबिम्बकम् ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

māghe tu kṛṣṇasaptamyāṃ vrataṃ sarvāptisaṃjñakam | samupoṣya dine tasminsampūjyādityabimbakam || 56 ||

Translation

Im Monat Māgha, am siebten Mondtag der dunklen Hälfte (kṛṣṇa-saptamī), soll man das Gelübde namens „Sarvāpti“ (Erlangung aller Ziele) auf sich nehmen. An jenem Tag faste man vollständig und verehre ordnungsgemäß die Sonnenscheibe, das Abbild Ādityas (der Sonne).

Word by Word

• माघे: in (the month of) Māgha
• माघे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण (time-locative)

• तु: indeed/and (emphatic)
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• कृष्ण-सप्तम्याम्: on the seventh (tithi) of the dark fortnight
• कृष्ण-सप्तम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कृष्णपक्षस्य सप्तमी)

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वाप्ति-संज्ञकम्: named ‘attainment-of-all’
• सर्वाप्ति-संज्ञकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आप्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् व्रतम् प्रति; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वाप्तिः यस्य संज्ञा)

• सम्-उपोष्य: having fasted (properly)
• सम्-उपोष्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); उपसर्गः सम्+उप; अर्थः—उपवासं कृत्वा

• दिने: on the day
• दिने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: on that (day)
• तस्मिन्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; निर्देशक-विशेषणम् (demonstrative)

• सम्-पूज्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्-पूज्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); उपसर्गः सम्; अर्थः—सम्यक् पूजयित्वा

• आदित्य-बिम्बकम्: the image/disc of the Sun
• आदित्य-बिम्बकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + बिम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदित्यस्य बिम्बकम्)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Narada Purana dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Sarvāpti-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Aditya (Surya)

FAQs

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

It prescribes a specific tithi-based vrata in Māgha—fasting on kṛṣṇa-saptamī and worshipping the Sun—presented as a disciplined means to accomplish comprehensive life-goals (sarvāpti), combining self-restraint (upavāsa) with focused devotion (pūjā).

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

Bhakti is expressed here as concrete worship (sampūjā) directed to Āditya’s visible form (bimba), supported by austerity (fasting). The verse emphasizes devotion that is embodied in ritual practice and timed according to sacred lunar days.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights calendrical discipline—tithi observance (kṛṣṇa-saptamī) and month specification (Māgha)—which aligns with Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga (Vedic time-reckoning) as applied to vrata-vidhi and ritual scheduling.