Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 103

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

कुहूराके यदा वृद्धे स्यातां विप्र यदा तदा । पक्षवर्द्धनिका नाम द्वादशी सा महाफला ॥ १०३ ॥

Transliteration

kuhūrāke yadā vṛddhe syātāṃ vipra yadā tadā | pakṣavarddhanikā nāma dvādaśī sā mahāphalā || 103 ||

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa, wenn sowohl Kuhū als auch Rākā im zunehmenden Zustand (in der hellen Monatshälfte) stehen, dann heißt jene Dvādaśī Pakṣavarddhanikā; sie bringt überaus große Frucht.

Word by Word

• कुहू-राके: on (the tithis) Kuhū and Rākā
• कुहू-राके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time-occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुहू + राका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (copulative): कुहू च राका च (on Kuhū and Rākā [tithis])

• यदा: when
• यदा: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (when)

• वृद्धे: when (it) is increased/extended
• वृद्धे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘वृद्धे’ (when it is in increase/extended)

• स्याताम्: should occur (as two)/should be
• स्याताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; ‘should be/occur (two)’

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (when)

• तदा: then
• तदा: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• पक्ष-वर्द्धनिका: (called) Pakṣavarddhanikā
• पक्ष-वर्द्धनिका: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष + वर्द्धनिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘पक्षवर्द्धनिका’ = पक्षस्य वर्द्धनं करोति इति (that which increases the fortnight)

• नाम: named
• नाम: सम्बन्धसूचक (Naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — नामार्थे ‘called/named’

• द्वादशी: the Dvādaśī (tithi)
• द्वादशी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सा: that
• सा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महाफला: highly fruitful
• महाफला: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘महाफला’ = महत् फलम् अस्याः (having great fruit/result)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada as 'vipra' within the teaching dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Pakṣavarddhanikā Dvādaśī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kuhū
• Rākā
• Dvādaśī
• Pakṣavarddhanikā

FAQs

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

It classifies a specific Dvādaśī by lunar conditions (Kuhū and Rākā waxing) and declares it “mahāphalā,” emphasizing that correct timing (tithi-śuddhi) greatly amplifies the merit of vrata and devotion.

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

By highlighting an especially fruitful Dvādaśī, it implicitly supports Vaiṣṇava practice where Dvādaśī observance (often linked to Viṣṇu worship following Ekādaśī discipline) becomes a structured, time-sanctified expression of bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic calendrics): it uses lunar phase/tithi markers (Kuhū, Rākā; waxing increase) to determine the correct classification and potency of a Dvādaśī observance.