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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

महाष्टमीति च प्रोक्ता देव्याः पूजाविधानतः । वैशाखस्य सिताष्टम्यां समुपोष्यात्र वारिणा ॥ ४ ॥

mahāṣṭamīti ca proktā devyāḥ pūjāvidhānataḥ | vaiśākhasya sitāṣṭamyāṃ samupoṣyātra vāriṇā || 4 ||

Nach der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung der Verehrung der Göttin heißt diese Observanz „Mahāṣṭamī“. Am achten Mondtag der hellen Hälfte im Monat Vaiśākha soll man hier ordnungsgemäß fasten und sich nur mit Wasser erhalten.

महा-अष्टमीthe ‘Great Eighth’ (tithi)
महा-अष्टमी:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः: महती अष्टमी
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण/समाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative particle)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
प्रोक्ताis called/said
प्रोक्ता:
Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
देव्याःof the Goddess
देव्याः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)
पूजा-विधानतःaccording to the procedure of worship
पूजा-विधानतः:
Hetu (हेतु/reason-basis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable) तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb ‘from/according to’); तत्पुरुषः: पूजायाः विधानम्
वैशाखस्यof (the month) Vaiśākha
वैशाखस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootवैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)
सिता-अष्टम्याम्on the bright eighth (tithi)
सिता-अष्टम्याम्:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative-time)
TypeNoun
Rootसिता (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः
समुपोष्यhaving fasted
समुपोष्य:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/gerund)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + उप + वस्/उष् (धातु: उपवस् ‘to fast’) → उपोष्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)
अत्रhere
अत्र:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative-adverb)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)
वारिणाwith water
वारिणा:
Karana (करण/instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootवारि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Narada (in a didactic narration of vrata/puja rules; traditional dialogue framework with Sanatkumara lineage)

Vrata: Mahāṣṭamī

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

D
Devi
V
Vaishakha
A
Ashtami
M
Mahashtami

FAQs

It defines Mahāṣṭamī as a Goddess-centered observance and emphasizes disciplined upavāsa (fasting) as a means of ritual purity and devotional focus.

Bhakti here is expressed through regulated worship (pūjā-vidhi) and bodily restraint (water-only fasting), directing attention and intention toward the Devī.

It applies calendrical ritual timing—tithi observance (śukla-aṣṭamī of Vaiśākha)—which aligns with Jyotiṣa-based vrata scheduling used in Purāṇic practice.