Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Daśamī-vrata: Observances for the Bright Tenth Day Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

दशम्यां माधवे शुक्ले विष्णुमभ्यर्च्य मानवः । गंधाद्यैरुपचारैश्च श्वेतपुष्पैः सुगंधिभिः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

daśamyāṃ mādhave śukle viṣṇumabhyarcya mānavaḥ | gaṃdhādyairupacāraiśca śvetapuṣpaiḥ sugaṃdhibhiḥ || 5 ||

Translation

Am zehnten Mondtag (Daśamī) der hellen Monatshälfte im Monat Mādhava soll der Mensch den Herrn Viṣṇu verehren, indem er Düfte und andere Upacāras darbringt, dazu weiße, lieblich duftende Blumen.

Word by Word

• दशम्याम्: on the tenth (lunar day)
• दशम्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• माधवे: in Mādhava (month)
• माधवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; मासवाचक (month Mādhava/Vaiśākha)

• शुक्ले: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्ले: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पक्षविशेषणम् (qualifying ‘pakṣa’ understood)

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• मानवः: a man, person
• मानवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः (गन्धः आदिः येषां तैः = ‘with perfumes etc.’)

• उपचारैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• श्वेत-पुष्पैः: with white flowers
• श्वेत-पुष्पैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्वेतानि पुष्पाणि)

• सुगन्धिभिः: fragrant
• सुगन्धिभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘flowers/offerings’)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction to the Sanatkumara brothers, within vrata-vidhi narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It prescribes a time-specific Vaiṣṇava observance: worshipping Viṣṇu on Śukla Daśamī in Mādhava month with pure, sattvic offerings (fragrance and white flowers), emphasizing devotional correctness (kāla and upacāra).

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

Bhakti is expressed through abhyarcana—loving worship—performed with respectful upacāras; the verse highlights simple but meaningful offerings (gandha and fragrant white flowers) as direct devotional service to Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/ritual procedure and calendrical discipline are implied: observing tithi (Daśamī), pakṣa (Śukla), and māsa (Mādhava) for correct vrata timing and worship protocol.