Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 89

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

शुक्लाष्टम्यां तु पौषस्य शिवं सम्पूज्य भक्तितः । भुक्तिमुक्तिमवाप्नोति भक्तिमेकां समाचरन् ॥ ८९ ॥

Transliteration

śuklāṣṭamyāṃ tu pauṣasya śivaṃ sampūjya bhaktitaḥ | bhuktimuktimavāpnoti bhaktimekāṃ samācaran || 89 ||

Translation

Doch am achten Mondtag der hellen Hälfte des Pauṣa erlangt, wer Śiva in hingebungsvoller Verehrung anbetet, sowohl weltlichen Segen als auch Befreiung, indem er Bhakti mit einspitzigem Geist übt.

Word by Word

• शुक्ल-अष्टम्याम्: on the bright eighth (tithi)
• शुक्ल-अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; कालाधिकरण (locative of time)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• पौषस्य: of Pauṣa (month)
• पौषस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of worship)

• सम्पूज्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having worshipped)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ (ablative of cause/manner: out of devotion)

• भुक्ति-मुक्तिम्: enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्ति-मुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/युगपदर्थ); कर्म (object attained)

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of practice)

• एकाम्: single/one-pointed
• एकाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of भक्तिम्)

• समाचरन्: practicing/observing
• समाचरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √चर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (one who practices)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Narada Purana discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that a time-specific Śiva-pūjā (Pauṣa śukla aṣṭamī) performed with sincere devotion yields both life-supporting welfare (bhukti) and the highest goal (mukti).

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

The verse emphasizes ekā-bhakti—single-minded devotion—as the decisive inner discipline that makes ritual worship spiritually efficacious.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical/astronomical timing (tithi and lunar month—Pauṣa, śukla aṣṭamī), aligning with Jyotiṣa-based vrata scheduling used in Purāṇic ritual practice.