Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

The Pañcarātra Vow (Haripañcaka Vrata): Observance from Śukla Ekādaśī to Pūrṇimā

Devanagari script

व्रतमेतत्तु यः कुर्याद्धरिपञ्चकसंज्ञितम् । न तस्य पुनरावृत्तिर्ब्रह्यलोकात्कदाचन ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

vratametattu yaḥ kuryāddharipañcakasaṃjñitam | na tasya punarāvṛttirbrahyalokātkadācana || 25 ||

Translation

Wer dieses Gelübde, Haripañcaka genannt, vollzieht, für den gibt es niemals wieder eine Rückkehr (zur Wiedergeburt) aus der Brahmaloka, zu keiner Zeit.

Word by Word

• vratam: vow, observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) of 'vratam'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थे (but/indeed)

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• hari-pañcaka-saṃjñitam: called “Hari-pañcaka”
• hari-pañcaka-saṃjñitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + pañcaka (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃjñita (कृदन्त; √jñā + सम्, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); 'हरिपञ्चक' इति संज्ञा यस्य तत् (having the designation “Hari-pañcaka”)

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc./Neut.), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• punar: again
• punar: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• āvṛttiḥ: return, rebirth/recurrence
• āvṛttiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• brahma-lokāt: from Brahma-loka
• brahma-lokāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kadācana: ever (at any time)
• kadācana: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), कालवाचक (temporal adverb), नकारेण सह = 'कदापि न' (never)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Haripañcaka

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu
• Brahmaloka
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It declares the Haripañcaka-vrata as a liberation-oriented observance: its fruit is the cessation of punarāvṛtti (return to rebirth), described as no return even from Brahmaloka.

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

By naming the vow after Hari and linking it to the highest spiritual outcome, the verse frames disciplined Vishnu-centered worship (vrata with bhakti) as a direct means to transcend saṃsāra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa/vrata-vidhi) is implied: correct undertaking of a named observance and its promised फल (result), rather than a technical lesson in grammar or astrology.