Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

निराहारः सप्तकृत्वो नरो मासोपवासकान् । अश्वमेधस्य यज्ञस्य फलमष्टगुणं लभेत् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

nirāhāraḥ saptakṛtvo naro māsopavāsakān | aśvamedhasya yajñasya phalamaṣṭaguṇaṃ labhet || 18 ||

Translation

Wer siebenmal völliges Fasten ohne Nahrung übt, erlangt den Ertrag des Aśvamedha-Opfers; dieses Verdienst gewinnt er achtfach und übertrifft damit die monatlichen Fasten.

Word by Word

• निराहारः: fasting (without food)
• निराहारः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; ‘without food/fasting’

• सप्तकृत्वः: seven times
• सप्तकृत्वः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्त + कृत्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), आवृत्तिवाचक; ‘सप्तवारम्’ (seven times)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मासोपवासकान्: monthly fasts
• मासोपवासकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास + उपवासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘मास-उपवासक’ = monthly fast-observances (or those who fast monthly)

• अश्वमेधस्य: of the Aśvamedha
• अश्वमेधस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्ञस्य: of the sacrifice
• यज्ञस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• अष्टगुणम्: eightfold
• अष्टगुणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; द्विगु-समासः

• लभेत्: should obtain
• लभेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma-vrata context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: māsa-upavāsa / nirāhāra-upavāsa (sevenfold)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ashvamedha

FAQs

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

It elevates inner austerity (nirāhāra/upavāsa) as a powerful dharmic act, presenting fasting as a high-merit substitute that can equal or even surpass major Vedic sacrifices in spiritual result.

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

By valuing disciplined restraint and offering-based living, it supports the bhakti ethic of self-control and sacrifice of appetite—practices commonly paired with devotion, japa, and worship in Purāṇic vrata traditions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-practical dharma is emphasized: comparative phala (results) of yajña versus vrata, and the structured counting of observances (seven times), reflecting the Purāṇic system of prescribing and evaluating ritual-austerity outcomes.