Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 69

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

अंत्यकृष्णचतुर्दश्यां शिवरात्रिव्रतं द्विज । निर्जलं समुपोष्यात्र दिवानक्तं प्रपूजयेत् ॥ ६९ ॥

Transliteration

aṃtyakṛṣṇacaturdaśyāṃ śivarātrivrataṃ dvija | nirjalaṃ samupoṣyātra divānaktaṃ prapūjayet || 69 ||

Translation

O Dvija, am letzten Kṛṣṇa-Caturdaśī soll man das Gelübde der Śivarātri halten: an diesem Tag faste man ohne Wasser und verehre Śiva bei Tag und bei Nacht.

Word by Word

• अन्त्य-कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: on the last dark-fortnight fourteenth (day)
• अन्त्य-कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अन्त्यायां कृष्णपक्षचतुर्दश्याम्)

• शिव-रात्रि-व्रतम्: the Śivarātri vow
• शिव-रात्रि-व्रतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य रात्रिः; तस्यां व्रतम्)

• द्विज: O twice-born
• द्विज: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• निर्जलम्: without water
• निर्जलम्: क्रिया-विशेषण/अवस्था (Manner/state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; उपोषण-विशेषण (without water)

• समुपोष्य: having observed a fast
• समुपोष्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + वस्/उष् (धातु: उपवस् ‘to fast’)
• Form: क्त्वा-लोपयुक्त ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having fasted’ (सम्+उप+उपवस्)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• दिवा-नक्तम्: day and night
• दिवा-नक्तम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय) + नक्त (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-समाहारद्वन्द्व (day-and-night, continuously)

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship (well)
• प्रपूजयेत्: विधेयक्रिया (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma/vrata instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Śivarātri-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes Śivarātri as a disciplined vrata marked by nirjala fasting and continuous worship, emphasizing austerity (tapas) and sustained devotion as spiritually elevating acts.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as uninterrupted worship—“by day and by night”—showing that devotion is not momentary but sustained, supported by self-restraint through fasting.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses calendrical ritual timing based on tithi—Kṛṣṇa Caturdaśī—reflecting Jyotiṣa-style vrata scheduling essential for correct observance.