Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Narration of the Navamī Vow Observed Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

कार्तिके शुक्लनवमी याऽक्षया सा प्रकीर्तता । तस्यामश्वत्थमूले वै तर्प्पणं सम्यगाचरेत् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

kārtike śuklanavamī yā'kṣayā sā prakīrtatā | tasyāmaśvatthamūle vai tarppaṇaṃ samyagācaret || 23 ||

Translation

Im Monat Kārtika wird die Navamī (der neunte Mondtag) der hellen Monatshälfte als der Tag „Akṣayā“ (unvergänglich) verkündet. An diesem Tag soll man am Wurzelgrund der Aśvattha (heiligen Feige) das tarpaṇa (rituelle Wasserspende) ordnungsgemäß vollziehen.

Word by Word

• kārtike: in (the month of) Kārtika
• kārtike: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); month-name; adhikaraṇa

• śukla-navamī: the bright-fortnight ninth (tithi)
• śukla-navamī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + navamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tithi-name; śuklā navamī iti

• yā: which
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• akṣayā: imperishable; unfailing
• akṣayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective to navamī

• sā: that (tithi)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• prakīrtitā: is proclaimed/declared
• prakīrtitā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kīrt (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (कृत्: क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; passive predication

• tasyām: on that (day)
• tasyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; refers to navamī

• aśvattha-mūle: at the root of an aśvattha (peepal) tree
• aśvattha-mūle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvattha (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: aśvatthasya mūlam

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात); emphasis/assurance

• tarppaṇam: libation/oblatory offering (tarpana)
• tarppaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tarpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of ācaret

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• ācaret: should perform/practice
• ācaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + car (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a dharma/vrata-vidhi context, traditionally framed as instruction in the Narada Purana dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Akṣayā (Kārtika Śukla-Navamī observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ashvattha (Peepal tree)

FAQs

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

It identifies Kārtika Śukla Navamī as ‘Akṣayā’, indicating that rites done then yield imperishable merit, and prescribes tarpaṇa at the aśvattha’s root as a particularly efficacious practice.

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

While primarily ritual (karma) oriented, it supports bhakti by sanctifying time (tithi) and place (aśvattha) for devotional, reverential acts—tarpaṇa performed with remembrance and faith becomes an offering aligned with dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It applies calendrical discipline—tithi reckoning (a jyotiṣa/ritual-timing competence)—by specifying Kārtika bright-fortnight Navamī as the correct time for a prescribed rite (tarpaṇa-vidhi).