Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

गुरवे धेनुसहितां दद्यात्संप्रार्थयेत्तथा । शतजन्मसु यत्किंचिन्मयाखंडव्रतं कृतम् ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

gurave dhenusahitāṃ dadyātsaṃprārthayettathā | śatajanmasu yatkiṃcinmayākhaṃḍavrataṃ kṛtam || 64 ||

Translation

One should offer to one’s guru a cow along with her calf, and then pray with earnestness: “Whatever unbroken vow (akhaṇḍa-vrata) I have performed through a hundred births—may its merit be made complete and truly effective.”

Word by Word

• गुरवे: to the teacher (guru)
• गुरवे: सम्प्रदान (Dative/संप्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• धेनु-सहिताम्: (a gift) accompanied with a cow
• धेनु-सहिताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक) + सहित (कृदन्त; √सह्/सहते)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—सहित-तत्पुरुष (धेनुना सह)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• संप्रार्थयेत्: should beseech/pray
• संप्रार्थयेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+√प्रार्थ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शत-जन्मसु: in (the course of) a hundred births
• शत-जन्मसु: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगु (शतानि जन्मानि)

• यत्: whatever which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relational/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• किंचित्: anything (at all)
• किंचित्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थ (indefinite)

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अखण्ड-व्रतम्: the unbroken vow
• अखण्ड-व्रतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अखण्डं व्रतम्)

• कृतम्: done/performed
• कृतम्: क्रिया/भाव (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अस्ति-लोपे)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue with Sanatkumara tradition; instructional narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: akhaṇḍa-vrata (general/aspirational reference)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

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

It teaches that vrata-merit is safeguarded and made fruitful through humility before the guru, coupled with dharmic giving (go-dāna), turning past efforts across many births into effective spiritual capital.

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

By directing the devotee to approach the guru with reverence, gift, and prayer, it frames devotion as surrender and service—seeking grace so that one’s observances become spiritually complete.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa-oriented ritual practice: the use of dāna (especially go-dāna) and formal supplication as supportive acts for vrata-siddhi (successful completion of vows).