Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

कृष्णपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां सोमवारे च भूपते । शिवं संस्नाप्य दुग्धेन शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

kṛṣṇapakṣe caturdaśyāṃ somavāre ca bhūpate | śivaṃ saṃsnāpya dugdhena śivasāyujyamāpnuyāt || 52 ||

Translation

O König, am Caturdaśī (vierzehnten Mondtag) der dunklen Monatshälfte, wenn er auf einen Montag fällt, soll man Śiva mit Milch baden (Abhiṣeka); dadurch erlangt man Sāyujya, die Vereinigung mit Śiva.

Word by Word

• kṛṣṇapakṣe: in the dark fortnight
• kṛṣṇapakṣe: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇapakṣa (kṛṣṇa + pakṣa)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• caturdaśyām: on the fourteenth day
• caturdaśyām: Adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• somavāre: on Monday
• somavāre: Adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: somavāra (soma + vāra)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• bhūpate: O King (Lord of the Earth)
• bhūpate: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpati (bhū + pati)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन), Singular

• śivam: Shiva
• śivam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• saṃsnāpya: having bathed (thoroughly)
• saṃsnāpya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + snā (धातु)
• Form: Lyap Pratyaya (Absolutive/Gerund), Causal form

• dugdhena: with milk
• dugdhena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dugdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• śivasāyujyam: union with Shiva
• śivasāyujyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivasāyujya (śiva + sāyujya)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āpnuyāt: should attain / may obtain
• āpnuyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: Vidhilin Lakara (Potential Mood), Prathama Purusha, Ekavachana

Speaker

Narada (teaching a king)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none (Śiva-abhisheka observance; implicitly a Śiva-vrata/Pradoṣa-type timing)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links precise sacred timing (Krishna Paksha Caturdaśī on Monday) with a focused act of devotion—milk abhiṣeka to Śiva—promising the fruit of Śiva-sāyujya (liberative closeness/union with Śiva).

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

Bhakti is expressed through a simple, concrete offering (bathing Śiva with milk) performed with faith and correct observance; the verse presents devotion as capable of yielding the highest spiritual result, not merely worldly merit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalā/astronomical-ritual timing is implied: knowing tithi (Caturdaśī), pakṣa (Krishna), and vāra (Monday) reflects Jyotiṣa-based observance used to schedule vratas and abhiṣekas for amplified ritual efficacy.