Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

The Narration of the Trayodaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

कामदेवं वसन्तं च वाजिवक्त्रं वृषध्वजम् । मध्याह्ने पूजयेद्भक्त्या गंधस्रग्भूषणांशुकैः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

kāmadevaṃ vasantaṃ ca vājivaktraṃ vṛṣadhvajam | madhyāhne pūjayedbhaktyā gaṃdhasragbhūṣaṇāṃśukaiḥ || 5 ||

Translation

Zur Mittagszeit soll man in Bhakti Kāma-deva, Vasanta (den Frühling), Vājivaktra (die Gottheit mit Pferdeantlitz) und Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva, dessen Zeichen der Stier ist) verehren und Düfte, Girlanden, Schmuck und feine Gewänder darbringen.

Word by Word

• कामदेवम्: Kāmadeva
• कामदेवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); कामः एव देवः (Kāma-deva)

• वसन्तम्: Vasanta (spring)
• वसन्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to Kāma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वाजि-वक्त्रम्: horse-faced
• वाजि-वक्त्रम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाजि (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of कामदेवम्; अर्थः—वाजिवक्त्रं (horse-faced)

• वृष-ध्वजम्: having a bull-banner
• वृष-ध्वजम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of कामदेवम्; अर्थः—वृषः ध्वजः यस्य (having a bull as banner)

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण/Means; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• गन्ध-स्रक्-भूषण-अंशुकैः: with perfumes, garlands, ornaments, and clothes
• गन्ध-स्रक्-भूषण-अंशुकैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + स्रज्/स्रक् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक) + अंशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); समुच्चयार्थ (with perfumes, garlands, ornaments, and garments)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Trayodaśī-vrata (midday pūjā segment; multi-deity worship)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kamadeva
• Vasanta
• Vajivaktra (Hayagriva)
• Vrsadhvaja (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It links devotion (bhakti) with disciplined daily worship, specifying midday as a sacred time and emphasizing sattvic offerings—fragrance, garlands, ornaments, and clean cloth—as supports for reverence and inner focus.

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

Bhakti is shown as active, time-bound service (pūjā) performed with heartfelt intent, where external offerings symbolize inner dedication and attentiveness to the divine forms named.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa/kalā-based time-discipline in ritual practice by prescribing madhyāhna (midday) as the proper worship period, aligning pūjā with daily temporal divisions.