Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

विपाच्य शर्कराज्याक्तमनंताय निवेदयेत् । गन्धाद्यैः प्राक् समभ्यर्च्यः कार्पासं पट्टजं तु वा ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

vipācya śarkarājyāktamanaṃtāya nivedayet | gandhādyaiḥ prāk samabhyarcyaḥ kārpāsaṃ paṭṭajaṃ tu vā || 24 ||

Translation

Nachdem man es gut gekocht und mit Zucker und Ghee vermengt hat, soll man es als Speise Ananta (dem Herrn Viṣṇu) darbringen. Zuvor verehre man die Gottheit mit Düften und ähnlichen Gaben; danach bringe man ein Baumwolltuch oder ein Seidengewand dar.

Word by Word

• विपाच्य: having cooked (well)
• विपाच्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि+पच् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having cooked well’

• शर्करा-आज्य-आक्तम्: smeared with sugar and ghee
• शर्करा-आज्य-आक्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक) + आज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √अञ्ज् क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘smeared/anointed with sugar and ghee’ (विशेषणम्, कर्मपदस्य)

• अनन्ताय: to Ananta
• अनन्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• निवेदयेत्: should offer
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with fragrances and the like
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘गन्धाद्यैः’ = ‘with perfumes etc.’

• प्राक्: beforehand
• प्राक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time) — ‘before/previously’

• समभ्यर्च्यः: should be worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्यः: Kriya (क्रिया/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+अभि+अर्च् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) — ‘to be worshipped’ (विधेय)

• कार्पासम्: cotton (cloth)
• कार्पासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; वस्त्र/द्रव्यनिर्देशः

• पट्टजम्: silk-made
• पट्टजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पट्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘पट्टात् जातम्’ (silk-made) — ‘कार्पासम्’ इत्यस्य विकल्पः

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण/विरोधसूचक (particle: but/indeed)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Narada (as the instructional voice within the ritual summary section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ananta-vrata (continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ananta
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It frames devotion as disciplined worship: first honoring Ananta with respectful upacāras (fragrance, etc.), then completing bhakti through naivedya and vastra-offering, expressing surrender and gratitude.

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

Bhakti is shown as loving service (sevā) performed in order—purifying the act with proper worship, then offering nourishing food and clothing to the Lord, treating the deity as the living recipient of care.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa-style ritual procedure: the ordered sequence of offerings (upacāra → naivedya → vastra) and the specification of materials (ghee, sugar, cotton/silk) used in formal worship.