Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Account of the Ekādaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

ह्यषीकेशं समभ्यर्च्य विप्रान् संभोज्य भक्तितः । चतुर्विंशैकादशीनां फलं यत्तत्समाप्नुयात् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

hyaṣīkeśaṃ samabhyarcya viprān saṃbhojya bhaktitaḥ | caturviṃśaikādaśīnāṃ phalaṃ yattatsamāpnuyāt || 16 ||

Translation

Wer Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu) in Bhakti verehrt und die Brāhmaṇas ehrerbietig speist, erlangt eben jenes Verdienst, das, wie gesagt wird, aus der Beobachtung von vierundzwanzig Ekādaśīs hervorgeht.

Word by Word

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात-अव्यय), causal/emphatic

• hṛṣīkeśam: Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• hṛṣīkeśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); name of Viṣṇu

• samabhyarcya: having worshipped
• samabhyarcya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-abhi-arc (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √अर्च् with prefixes सम्+अभि

• viprān: Brahmins
• viprān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• saṃbhojya: having fed
• saṃbhojya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √भुज् with prefix सम्

• bhaktitaḥ: from/with devotion
• bhaktitaḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially 'out of devotion/with devotion'

• catur-viṃśati-ekādaśīnām: of the twenty-four Ekādaśīs
• catur-viṃśati-ekādaśīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + ekādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); dvigu numeral compound indicating 'twenty-four Ekādaśīs'

• phalam: the fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); correlates with 'tat'

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Correlative pronoun (तद्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• samāpnuyāt: would obtain
• samāpnuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-āp (धातु)
• Form: Present optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद); with prefix सम्

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekādaśī (aggregate merit of 24 Ekādaśīs referenced)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hrsikesa
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It equates sincere Viṣṇu-worship (Hṛṣīkeśa-arcana) joined with honoring brāhmaṇas through feeding, with the accumulated merit of many Ekādaśī observances—showing that devotion expressed through reverence and service yields great puṇya.

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

Bhakti is presented as active devotion: worship of the Lord and compassionate, respectful service to the Lord’s devotees/learned brāhmaṇas; the emphasis is on “bhaktitaḥ” (with devotion), not mere ritual formality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa-prayoga) is implied: proper arcana (worship procedure) and brāhmaṇa-bhojana as a vrata-aṅga (supporting limb of observance), with the verse giving a clear phala-śruti (result statement) used in dharma/vow practice.