Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

पात्राणि च ददेद्भक्त्या विष्णुर्मे प्रीयतामिति । द्वादश्यां तु नभःशुक्ले श्रीधरं पूजयेद्व्रती ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

pātrāṇi ca dadedbhaktyā viṣṇurme prīyatāmiti | dvādaśyāṃ tu nabhaḥśukle śrīdharaṃ pūjayedvratī || 21 ||

Translation

In Hingabe soll man auch Gefäße (als Gabe) spenden und beten: „Möge Viṣṇu an mir Gefallen finden.“ Und am hellen Dvādaśī des Monats Nabhas (Śrāvaṇa) soll der Gelübdehalter Śrīdhara (Viṣṇu) verehren.

Word by Word

• pātrāṇi: vessels (gift-items)
• pātrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

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

• dadet: should give
• dadet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धाातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; मन्त्रवाक्ये विषयः

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (Gen./Dat. sg. enclitic); here षष्ठी (my)

• prīyatām: may (he) be pleased
• prīyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (धाातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आशीर्लिङ्गार्थे (benedictive sense)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyasaṃjñā (वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• dvādaśyām: on Dvādaśī
• dvādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधसूचक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• nabhaḥ-śukle: in the bright fortnight of Nabhas (Bhādrapada)
• nabhaḥ-śukle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nabhas (प्रातिपदिक) + śukla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine; month-name nabhas), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: 'नभसि शुक्लपक्षे' (in Nabhas, bright fortnight)

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

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धाातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vratī: the vow-observer
• vratī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvādaśī-vrata (Vaiṣṇava; Śrīdhara-pūjā on Nabhas/Śrāvaṇa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Sridhar(a)

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotional intention (bhakti-bhāva) sanctifies ritual action: giving gifts while dedicating the act to Viṣṇu, and worshipping Śrīdhara on an auspicious Dvādaśī, are presented as direct means to gain the Lord’s pleasure.

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

Bhakti appears here as both inner prayer (“May Viṣṇu be pleased with me”) and outer practice—dāna (charitable giving) and pūjā (worship) performed by a vratī, showing devotion expressed through disciplined observance and dedication of merit to Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Jyotiṣa (tithi/month timing) are implied: the verse specifies the Dvādaśī tithi and the bright fortnight of Nabhas (Śrāvaṇa) as the proper ritual time for worship, reflecting vrata-based calendrical observance.