Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

The Narration of the Trayodaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

नैव दांपत्यविच्छेदं लभते सप्तजन्मसु । नभः शुक्लत्रयोदश्यां रतिकामव्रतं शुभम् ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

naiva dāṃpatyavicchedaṃ labhate saptajanmasu | nabhaḥ śuklatrayodaśyāṃ ratikāmavrataṃ śubham || 28 ||

Translation

Wer das glückverheißende Rati‑Kāma‑Gelübde am hellen Trayodaśī (dreizehnten Mondtag) des Monats Nabhas (Śrāvaṇa) hält, erleidet in sieben Geburten keine Trennung in der Ehe.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: निषेध (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: अवधारण (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• दाम्पत्य-विच्छेदम्: separation of the couple/marital break
• दाम्पत्य-विच्छेदम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाम्पत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विच्छेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘दाम्पत्यस्य विच्छेदः’

• लभते: obtains/experiences
• लभते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सप्त-जन्मसु: in seven births
• सप्त-जन्मसु: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः = ‘सप्त जन्मानि’

• नभः: (in the month) Nabhas (Śrāvaṇa)
• नभः: अधिकरण-निर्देशक (काल/Time indicator)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मासवाचकः (name of month: Nabhas/Śrāvaṇa)

• शुक्ल-त्रयोदश्याम्: on the bright 13th lunar day
• शुक्ल-त्रयोदश्याम्: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रयोदशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘शुक्ला त्रयोदशी’ (bright-fortnight 13th)

• रति-काम-व्रतम्: the Rati-Kāma vow
• रति-काम-व्रतम्: कर्ता/विषय (विषय/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘रतिकामयोः व्रतम्’ (समाहार/निर्देश)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्रतम्-विशेषण

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Rati-Kāma-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Rati
• Kama

FAQs

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

It presents a vrata as a dharmic discipline whose fruit (phala) is long-lasting marital concord, extending across multiple births, showing how ritual observance is linked to samsaric well-being.

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

While not explicitly teaching Vishnu-bhakti here, it reflects the Purāṇic model where faithful observance of prescribed vows with reverence (śraddhā) is a devotional act that yields protective merit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical timing—month (Nabhas/Śrāvaṇa), fortnight (śukla), and tithi (Trayodaśī)—which connects to Jyotiṣa-style lunar reckoning used for determining proper vrata dates.