Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

वत्सरे हेमलंब्याख्ये मासि श्रीमति कार्तिके । शुक्लपक्षे चतुर्द्दश्यामरुणाभ्युदयं प्रति ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

vatsare hemalaṃbyākhye māsi śrīmati kārtike | śuklapakṣe caturddaśyāmaruṇābhyudayaṃ prati || 48 ||

Translation

Im Jahr namens Hemalambī, im glückverheißenden Monat Kārtika, am vierzehnten Tag der hellen Monatshälfte—dem Aufsteigen Aruṇas, der Morgenröte, entgegen.

Word by Word

• वत्सरे: in the year
• वत्सरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• हेमलंबि-आख्ये: called ‘Hemalambi’
• हेमलंबि-आख्ये: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेमलंबि (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (हेमलंबि-नामकः)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• श्रीमति: auspicious, glorious
• श्रीमति: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (honorific/auspicious)

• कार्तिके: in Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शुक्ल-पक्षे: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्ल-पक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुक्लः पक्षः)

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth (tithi)
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अरुण-अभ्युदयम्: the rising of Aruṇa (dawn)
• अरुण-अभ्युदयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्युदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अरुणस्य अभ्युदयः)

• प्रति: towards, at (the time of)
• प्रति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/संबन्धबोधक (preposition) — ‘towards/at’

Speaker

Suta (narrative time-marker within the Anukramanika-style portion)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Aruṇa

FAQs

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

It functions as a precise sacred time-stamp—year, month, fortnight, tithi, and dawn—indicating that the merit of a rite or narration depends on correct auspicious timing (kāla) as part of dharma.

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

By highlighting Kārtika and the dawn-time setting, it implicitly situates devotional acts (such as pūjā, vrata, or recitation) in a highly sanctifying period traditionally associated with heightened Viṣṇu-bhakti observances.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa and Kalpa are foregrounded: the verse uses calendrical parameters (saṃvatsara name, pakṣa, tithi) and a time-marker (aruṇodaya) to define the proper ritual window.