Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

यदा ज्येष्ठर्क्षसंयुक्ता भवेच्जैवाष्टभी द्विज । ज्येष्ठा नाम्नी तु सा ज्ञेया पूजिता पापनाशिनी ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

yadā jyeṣṭharkṣasaṃyuktā bhavecjaivāṣṭabhī dvija | jyeṣṭhā nāmnī tu sā jñeyā pūjitā pāpanāśinī || 53 ||

Translation

O Zweimalgeborener, wenn die achte Tithi (Aṣṭamī) mit der Nakṣatra Jyeṣṭhā zusammenfällt, soll man wissen, dass sie „Jyeṣṭhā“ heißt. Wird sie verehrt, wird sie zur Vernichterin der Sünden.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb): 'when'

• ज्येष्ठ-ऋक्ष-संयुक्ता: joined with the Jyeṣṭhā asterism
• ज्येष्ठ-ऋक्ष-संयुक्ता: कर्तृ/विधेय-विशेषण (Karta-predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् (धातु) + सम् उपसर्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle)

• भवेत्: should be/occurs
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• अष्टमी: the eighth lunar day (Aṣṭamī)
• अष्टमी: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक (name of lunar day)

• द्विज: O brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• द्विज: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• ज्येष्ठा: (it) is to be known as 'Jyeṣṭhā'
• ज्येष्ठा: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (तिथेः/दिनस्य) नाम

• नाम्नी: by name
• नाम्नी: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; 'by name' (नाम्ना/नाम्नी रूप)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• सा: that (day)
• सा: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ज्ञेया: is to be known
• ज्ञेया: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-कर्तरि/कर्मणि भावे—'to be known' (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ)

• पूजिता: worshipped
• पूजिता: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• पाप-नाशिनी: destroyer of sins
• पाप-नाशिनी: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक; √नश्/√नाश् भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narada (addressing a dvija within the instructional dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Jyeṣṭhā (Aṣṭamī–Jyeṣṭhā yoga observance; contextually part of Mahālakṣmī-vrata sequence)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Jyeṣṭhā (Nakṣatra)
• Aṣṭamī (Tithi)

FAQs

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

It teaches that specific calendrical alignments—Aṣṭamī tithi joined with Jyeṣṭhā nakṣatra—carry a defined ritual identity (“Jyeṣṭhā”) and, when properly worshipped, are said to destroy sins (pāpa-nāśinī).

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

Bhakti is expressed here through timely worship (pūjā) aligned with sacred time (tithi–nakṣatra), emphasizing devotion enacted as disciplined observance rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa: the practical use of tithi (Aṣṭamī) and nakṣatra (Jyeṣṭhā) conjunctions to classify a day/observance and prescribe worship with specific spiritual results.