Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Māsopavāsa (Month-long Fast) and Repeated Parāka Observances: Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

मासोपवासत्रितयं यः कुर्यात्संयते न्द्रियः । आप्तोर्यामस्य यज्ञस् द्विगुणं फलमश्नुते ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

māsopavāsatritayaṃ yaḥ kuryātsaṃyate ndriyaḥ | āptoryāmasya yajñas dviguṇaṃ phalamaśnute || 14 ||

Translation

Wer, die Sinne gezügelt, ein dreimonatiges Fasten vollzieht, erlangt den doppelten Verdienst gegenüber dem Āptoryāma-Opfer.

Word by Word

• मासोपवासत्रितयम्: a set of three month-fasts
• मासोपवासत्रितयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (मासस्य उपवासः; तस्य त्रितयम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• संयतेन्द्रियः: one with controlled senses
• संयतेन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-यत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (संयतानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• आप्तोर्यामस्य: of the Āptoryāma (sacrifice)
• आप्तोर्यामस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्तोर्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; यज्ञ-विशेषनाम

• यज्ञः: sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विगुणम्: double
• द्विगुणम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्वौ गुणौ यस्य/द्विगुणम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; फलम् इति विशेषण

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अश्नुते: obtains/enjoys
• अश्नुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma/vrata context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: māsopavāsa-tritaya (three-month fast)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Āptoryāma

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined fasting done with self-control can yield merit even greater than major Vedic ritual performance, emphasizing inner restraint as a powerful dharmic practice.

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

While not naming a deity here, the verse supports a bhakti-friendly principle: bodily discipline and controlled senses purify the practitioner, making worship and remembrance steadier and more fruitful than mere external ritualism.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It references śrauta-yajña tradition (the Āptoryāma Soma sacrifice), showing how Purāṇic dharma literature evaluates ritual fruit (phala) and presents vrata/upavāsa as an accessible alternative aligned with Vedic ritual categories.