Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

दशाहं कृष्णदेवाय पूरिका दश चार्पयेत् । ताश्च दद्याद्विधिज्ञाय स्वयं वा भक्षयेद्व्रती ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

daśāhaṃ kṛṣṇadevāya pūrikā daśa cārpayet | tāśca dadyādvidhijñāya svayaṃ vā bhakṣayedvratī || 23 ||

Translation

Zehn Tage lang soll man dem Herrn Kṛṣṇa täglich zehn pūrikās (frittierte Weizenküchlein) darbringen. Danach sind diese Opfergaben einem Kenner des Ritus (einem geeigneten Brāhmaṇa/Priester) zu geben, oder der Gelübdehaltende darf sie selbst verzehren.

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: विशेषण (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनरूपम् (used indeclinably with measure); 'ten' qualifying 'अहं'

• अहं: for (a period of) a day
• अहं: अधिकरण (कालाधिकरण/Time-span)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of duration)

• कृष्णदेवाय: to Lord Krishna
• कृष्णदेवाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णदेव (प्रातिपदिक: कृष्ण + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (कृष्णः एव देवः)

• पूरिकाः: sweet cakes (pūrikās)
• पूरिकाः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; here as object intended to be offered (can function as कर्म in sense)

• दश: ten
• दश: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; (agreeing with पूरिका:) स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे (numeral used with plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्पयेत्: should offer
• अर्पयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; विध्यर्थः (should offer)

• ताः: those (cakes)
• ताः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; 'those (pūrikās)'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'should give'

• विधिज्ञाय: to one who knows the proper rite
• विधिज्ञाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधिज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक: विधि + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विधेः ज्ञः = one who knows the rite)

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: आत्मवाचक-अव्यय (reflexive adverb)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• भक्षयेत्: should eat
• भक्षयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'should eat'

• व्रती: the vow-observer
• व्रती: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; व्रतधारी

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kṛṣṇa-janmāṣṭamī vrata (contextual; offering regimen within the vrata-vidhi)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined devotion through a time-bound vrata: daily naivedya to Kṛṣṇa, followed by dāna (sharing sanctified food) or respectful prasāda consumption, integrating worship with ethical giving.

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

Bhakti is shown as steady daily service—offering food to Kṛṣṇa with faith and then honoring prasāda—making devotion practical, repeatable, and grounded in humility and generosity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (vidhi) is emphasized: offerings should follow correct rules and preferably be handled with guidance from a vidhijña (one who knows the rite), reflecting applied kalpa-style discipline within vrata practice.