Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

The Account of the Ekādaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

वैशाखशुक्लैकादश्यां समुपोष्य च मोहिनीम् । स्नात्वा परेऽह्नि संपूज्य गंधाद्यैः पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

vaiśākhaśuklaikādaśyāṃ samupoṣya ca mohinīm | snātvā pare'hni saṃpūjya gaṃdhādyaiḥ puruṣottamam || 11 ||

Translation

Am Ekādaśī der hellen Monatshälfte (śukla) im Monat Vaiśākha soll man das Mohinī-Ekādaśī-Fasten halten. Dann, am folgenden Tag, nach dem Bad, soll man Puruṣottama (Herrn Viṣṇu) gebührend mit Duftstoffen und weiteren Gaben verehren.

Word by Word

• vaiśākha-śukla-ekādaśyām: on Vaiśākha bright-fortnight Ekādaśī
• vaiśākha-śukla-ekādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण—कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśākha + śukla + ekādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); time-locative: ‘on the Ekādaśī of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha’

• samupoṣya: having fasted
• samupoṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-upa-√vas (वस् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having fasted completely’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• mohinīm: Mohinī (named observance/deity)
• mohinīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); name/epithet (of Ekādaśī or deity)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (स्ना धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having bathed’

• pare: on the next
• pare: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); used with ahni: ‘on the next’

• ahni: day
• ahni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण—कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃpūjya: having duly worshipped
• saṃpūjya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having worshipped well’

• gandha-ādyaiḥ: with perfumes and the like
• gandha-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘with fragrance etc.’ (incense, flowers, etc.)

• puruṣottamam: Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)
• puruṣottamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); epithet: ‘the सर्वोत्तम पुरुष’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mohinī Ekādaśī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Purusottama
• Mohini Ekadashi
• Vaisakha

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined fasting on Mohinī Ekādaśī and reverent worship of Puruṣottama on the next day together form a complete vrata, aligning bodily restraint with devotional offering.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical devotion: observing Ekādaśī with self-control, then honoring Viṣṇu through pūjā with upacāras like fragrance—turning austerity into loving worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects calendrical and ritual precision—tithi-based observance (Ekādaśī and the following day, i.e., Dvādaśī) and proper pūjā procedure—linking timekeeping and rite-performance to dharma.