Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

वितानध्वजछत्राणि दत्वा पूज्याश्च मातरः । एवं कृत्वार्चनं विप्र सोपवासोऽथवैकभुक् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

vitānadhvajachatrāṇi datvā pūjyāśca mātaraḥ | evaṃ kṛtvārcanaṃ vipra sopavāso'thavaikabhuk || 3 ||

Translation

Nachdem Baldachine, Fahnen und Schirme dargebracht und die ehrwürdigen Mütter gebührend geehrt wurden, o Brāhmaṇa, soll man, nachdem man so die Verehrung vollzogen hat, Upavāsa (Fasten) halten — oder andernfalls nur eine einzige Mahlzeit zu sich nehmen.

Word by Word

• vitāna-dhvaja-chatrāṇi: canopies, flags, and umbrellas
• vitāna-dhvaja-chatrāṇi: Karma (कर्म/object of datvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक) + chatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• datvā: having given
• datvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), indeclinable verbal; ‘having given’

• pūjyāḥ: to be worshipped / worthy of worship
• pūjyāḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण/predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/Passive participle (तव्य/य-प्रत्यय; पूज्य), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; predicate with ‘mātaraḥ’

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

• mātaraḥ: mothers
• mātaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), indeclinable verbal

• arcanam: worship
• arcanam: Karma (कर्म/object of kṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• sa-upavāsaḥ: with fasting
• sa-upavāsaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘with fasting’; predicate/qualifier of the (implied) practitioner

• athavā: or
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• eka-bhuk: eating once (a day)
• eka-bhuk: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuj (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधार from √bhuj)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘one who eats once’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Caturdaśī vrata (contextual continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It links worship (arcana) with ethical giving (dāna), reverence to mothers (mātṛ-pūjā), and self-restraint (upavāsa/ekabhuk), teaching that devotion is completed by generosity, respect, and disciplined conduct.

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

Bhakti here is practical: after performing pūjā, the devotee seals the act through dāna and bodily restraint (fasting or one meal), cultivating humility and offering the merit of worship through service and discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) through prescribed gifts and post-ritual observance (upavāsa/ekabhuk), showing how vrata-discipline is integrated into pūjā as a rule-based dharma practice.