Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Exposition of the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Observed Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

पुत्रं सर्वगुणोपेतं प्राप्नुयाच्चिरजीविनम् । वैशाखशुक्लषष्ठ्यां च पूजयित्वा च कार्तिकम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

putraṃ sarvaguṇopetaṃ prāpnuyāccirajīvinam | vaiśākhaśuklaṣaṣṭhyāṃ ca pūjayitvā ca kārtikam || 3 ||

Translation

By worshipping (the Lord) on the sixth lunar day of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha, and by duly honoring the month of Kārttika, one obtains a son endowed with every virtue and blessed with long life.

Word by Word

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of प्राप्नुयात्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वगुणोपेतम्: endowed with all virtues
• सर्वगुणोपेतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण of पुत्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + गुण + उपेत (प्रातिपदिक; उप-इ (धातु) से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘endowed’; समास: सर्वे गुणाः (कर्मधारय) + उपेत (तत्पुरुष: गुणैः उपेतः)

• प्राप्नुयात्: may obtain
• प्राप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• चिरजीविनम्: long-lived
• चिरजीविनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण of पुत्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर + जीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘long-lived’

• वैशाखशुक्लषष्ठ्याम्: on the bright sixth (tithi) in Vaiśākha
• वैशाखशुक्लषष्ठ्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख + शुक्लषष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समास: वैशाखे (मासे) शुक्लषष्ठी (तत्पुरुष: time specification)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कार्तिकम्: Kārttika (Kārttikeya/Skanda)
• कार्तिकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of पूजयित्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular) (देव-नाम; Skanda/Kārttikeya)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/mahatmya-style instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ṣaṣṭhī worship (month-specific observance; implicit continuation of Ṣaṣṭhī-vratas)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Karttika (sacred month)
• Vaishakha (sacred month)
• Shukla Paksha
• Shashthi (tithi)

FAQs

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

It presents a vrata-phala teaching: time-specific worship (Vaiśākha śukla-ṣaṣṭhī and Kārttika observance) is said to generate punya that ripens as blessings for family continuity—especially a virtuous, long-lived child.

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

Bhakti is expressed through calendrical devotion—honoring sacred tithis and months with worship. The verse frames devotion as disciplined, repeated honoring of holy times that aligns the devotee with divine grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses calendrical/astronomical ritual timing—tithi (Ṣaṣṭhī), pakṣa (śukla), and māsa (Vaiśākha, Kārttika)—reflecting applied jyotiṣa-style time-reckoning for performing vrata and pūjā.