Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

भुक्तिं मुक्तिं स लभते महादेवप्रसादतः । ज्येष्ठशुक्लचतुर्दश्यां दिवा पंचतपा निशः ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

bhuktiṃ muktiṃ sa labhate mahādevaprasādataḥ | jyeṣṭhaśuklacaturdaśyāṃ divā paṃcatapā niśaḥ || 18 ||

Translation

Durch die Gnade Mahādevas erlangt man sowohl weltlichen Genuss (bhukti) als auch Befreiung (mukti). Am vierzehnten Mondtag der hellen Monatshälfte im Monat Jyeṣṭha übe man tagsüber die Askese der «fünf Feuer» (pañcatapā) und halte nachts Wache in der Vigil.

Word by Word

• भुक्तिम्: worldly enjoyment
• भुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• महादेवप्रसादतः: from Mahādeva's grace
• महादेवप्रसादतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th—पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘from the grace of Mahādeva’

• ज्येष्ठशुक्लचतुर्दश्याम्: on Jyeṣṭha bright 14th
• ज्येष्ठशुक्लचतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th—सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष ‘on the 14th (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Jyeṣṭha’

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• पञ्चतपाः: (as) one practicing five-fire austerity
• पञ्चतपाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समास; ‘one who has five fires (austerity)’

• निशः: at night
• निशः: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial usage of noun-form (निशः/निशि) meaning ‘at night’; treated as avyaya in sense

Speaker

Narada (instructing within the Narada Purana’s didactic dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Liṅga/Rudra-related vrata (contextual continuation; specific name not restated here)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere austerity and observance on Jyeṣṭha Śukla Caturdaśī, undertaken with devotion, yields both material well-being (bhukti) and the highest goal of liberation (mukti) through Mahādeva’s grace.

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

The verse grounds results not merely in effort but in “Mahādeva-prasāda”—divine favor—showing that ritual austerity becomes spiritually fruitful when performed as an act of devoted worship and surrender.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical and ritual precision: identifying the correct tithi (Śukla Caturdaśī) in the month of Jyeṣṭha (Jyotiṣa/Vedic astronomy-astrology) and prescribing a specific tapas regimen (vrata-vidhi/ritual procedure).