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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

मार्गशुक्लचतुर्थ्यां तु वर्षं यावन्मुनीश्वरा । क्षपयेदेकभक्तेन नक्तेनाथ द्वितीयकम् ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

mārgaśuklacaturthyāṃ tu varṣaṃ yāvanmunīśvarā | kṣapayedekabhaktena naktenātha dvitīyakam || 55 ||

Translation

O best of sages, beginning on the Caturthī (fourth lunar day) of the bright fortnight in Mārgaśīrṣa, one should keep this vow for a full year—taking only one meal by day (ekabhakta), and performing the second observance as nakta, fasting by day and eating at night.

Word by Word
मार्ग-शुक्ल-चतुर्थ्याम्on the 4th (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa
मार्ग-शुक्ल-चतुर्थ्याम्:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootमार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—मार्गस्य शुक्लपक्षस्य चतुर्थी (genitive-relation determinative)
तुindeed/and
तु:
सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे “but/indeed”
वर्षम्for a year
वर्षम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
यावत्for as long as
यावत्:
कालाधिकरण (Temporal extent)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
Formअव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-निर्देशक (limit/extent marker) “as long as/for the duration of”
मुनीश्वराःO lords of sages
मुनीश्वराः:
सम्बोधन/आमन्त्रण (Address)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—मुनीनां ईश्वराः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
क्षपयेत्should observe/should spend (the time)
क्षपयेत्:
क्रिया (Verb/Action)
TypeVerb
Rootक्षप् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद; अर्थः—“क्षपयेत्” = क्षपयति इति causative sense “should spend/should observe (by passing time)”
एक-भक्तेनwith one meal (only)
एक-भक्तेन:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—एकं भक्तं यस्य/एकभक्तः (one-meal regimen)
नक्तेनby eating at night (naktavrata)
नक्तेन:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootनक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘नक्त’ = रात्रौ भुक्तिः/रात्रिभोजनव्रत (night-eating observance)
अथthen/next
अथ:
सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (then/next)
द्वितीयकम्the second (year/step)
द्वितीयकम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वितीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक (ordinal/sequence term)
Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada and assembled sages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities
N
Narada

FAQs

It prescribes a disciplined year-long vrata aligned to a specific lunar tithi, emphasizing self-restraint (upavāsa) as a dharmic means to purify conduct and stabilize devotion.

By regulating food and daily routine through ekabhakta and nakta, the practitioner reduces sensory distraction and sustains steady devotional focus—an applied form of bhakti supported by vrata.

It uses tithi- and month-based timing (lunar calendar practice connected to Jyotiṣa/Vedāṅga) and specifies fasting modes (vrata-vidhi) such as ekabhakta and nakta.

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