Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

गुरवे धेनुसहितां प्रत्यर्प्य प्रणमेत्पुरः । विप्रान्द्रादश संभोज्य तेभ्यो दद्याच्च दक्षिणाम् ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

gurave dhenusahitāṃ pratyarpya praṇametpuraḥ | viprāndrādaśa saṃbhojya tebhyo dadyācca dakṣiṇām || 84 ||

Translation

Nachdem man dem Guru eine Kuh samt den gebührenden Beigaben dargebracht hat, soll man sich vor ihm verneigen. Dann soll man zwölf Brāhmaṇas speisen und ihnen die vorgeschriebene Dakṣiṇā geben.

Word by Word

• गुरवे: to the guru
• गुरवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative)

• धेनु-सहिताम्: accompanied by a cow
• धेनु-सहिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक) + सहित (कृदन्त, √सह धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘धेनुना सहित’ इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष; कर्मविशेषण (qualifier of object)

• प्रत्यर्प्य: having offered/handed over
• प्रत्यर्प्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√ऋ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having handed over/returned’

• प्रणमेत्: should bow
• प्रणमेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (adverb of place)

• विप्रान्: brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशन् (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; ‘विप्रान्’ इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषण (twelve)

• संभोज्य: having fed
• संभोज्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having fed/entertained’

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; अपादान/सम्प्रदानार्थे ‘to them’ (ablative used for dative sense)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• दक्षिणाम्: a fee/donation (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Anukramanika-style section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

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

It teaches that a rite is spiritually sealed by humility to the guru and generosity through go-dāna, brāhmaṇa-bhojana, and dakṣiṇā—acts that convert ritual formality into dharma and puṇya.

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

By placing praṇāma to the guru first, the verse frames devotion as disciplined reverence and service (guru-sevā), expressed outwardly through charitable giving and honoring the learned.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure): the customary completion steps of a religious observance—dāna (gift), brāhmaṇa-bhojana (feeding), and dakṣiṇā (honorarium) as part of proper vidhi.