Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Narration of the Trayodaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

ततस्तु द्विजदांपत्यं चतुर्दश्यां निमंत्र्य च । सतकृत्य भोज्य प्रतिमे दद्यात्ताभ्यां सदक्षिणे ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

tatastu dvijadāṃpatyaṃ caturdaśyāṃ nimaṃtrya ca | satakṛtya bhojya pratime dadyāttābhyāṃ sadakṣiṇe || 31 ||

Translation

Dann soll man am vierzehnten Mondtag (caturdaśī) ein Brahmanen-Ehepaar einladen; nachdem man sie gebührend geehrt und gespeist hat, gebe man ihnen zwei heilige Bildnisse (pratimā) zusammen mit einer angemessenen dakṣiṇā.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/temporal link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/contrast)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• dvija-dāmpatyam: the Brahmin couple
• dvija-dāmpatyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + dāmpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: dvijānāṃ dāmpatyam

• caturdaśyām: on the fourteenth (tithi)
• caturdaśyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; time-locative (कालाधिकरण)

• nimantrya: having invited
• nimantrya: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√mantr (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), having invited

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sat-kṛtya: having honored (properly)
• sat-kṛtya: Kriya (क्रिया; manner)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त) used adverbially; avyayībhāva sense ‘well/with honor + having done’

• bhojyam: edible food (to be eaten/offered)
• bhojyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhojya (प्रातिपदिक; √bhuj)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifies implied ‘anna/food’ or offering

• pratime: in/at the image (idol)
• pratime: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular; place-locative

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada; injunction

• tābhyām: to those two (to the couple)
• tābhyām: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Dual (द्विवचन), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी) or Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया); here Dative ‘to them two’

• sa-dakṣiṇe: together with a fee/donation
• sa-dakṣiṇe: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; karmadhāraya ‘with dakṣiṇā’; agrees with bhojyam (and implied gifts)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara brothers; instructional narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It presents a concise dana-vidhi: honoring worthy recipients (a dvija couple) on an auspicious tithi, completing the rite with hospitality (bhojana) and gifting (pratimā-dāna) supported by dakṣiṇā—framing charity as a disciplined spiritual act.

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

While not explicitly naming a deity, it supports bhakti through seva expressed as respectful reception, feeding, and giving—outer acts that cultivate humility, gratitude, and sacred intention within vrata practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied through the stepwise injunctions (invitation, satkāra, bhojana, dāna, dakṣiṇā), and Jyotiṣa is indicated by the timing on Caturdaśī (tithi-based observance).