Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

मोदते ललितादेव्या शैवे वै सखिवच्चिरम् । नभस्ये मासि या शुक्ला षष्ठी सा चंदनाह्वया ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

modate lalitādevyā śaive vai sakhivacciram | nabhasye māsi yā śuklā ṣaṣṭhī sā caṃdanāhvayā || 29 ||

Translation

La luminosa sexta luna (Śukla-Ṣaṣṭhī) del mes de Nabhasya se llama «Candanā». Al observarla, uno se regocija largo tiempo en el reino de Śiva, gozando de la compañía de la Diosa Lalitā como de una amiga íntima.

Word by Word

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ललितादेव्या: with Goddess Lalitā
• ललितादेव्या: Karana (करण/with whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललिता + देवी (प्रातिपदिक); components: ललिता + देवी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करणार्थे (with Lalitā-devī)

• शैवे: in the Śaiva (observance)
• शैवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the Śaiva [rite/observance])

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सखिवत्: like a friend
• सखिवत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial: like a friend)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• नभस्ये: in Nabhasya (Bhādrapada)
• नभस्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; month-name (Bhādrapada)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to ṣaṣṭhī

• शुक्ला: bright (waxing)
• शुक्ला: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of षष्ठी

• षष्ठी: the sixth lunar day
• षष्ठी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; tithi-name

• सा: that
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative

• चन्दनाह्वया: called ‘Candana’
• चन्दनाह्वया: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्दन + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक); components: चन्दन (sandal) + आह्वय (named)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of षष्ठी; बहुव्रीहि-like sense 'having the name', but form is षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चन्दनम् आह्वयः यस्याः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/tithi-mahātmya sequence; dialogue tradition with Sanatkumāra line implied for Book 1.4)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Candanā (śukla-ṣaṣṭhī observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Lalitā Devī
• Śiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the phala (spiritual result) of observing the Śukla-Ṣaṣṭhī in Nabhasya—called Candanā—promising long-lasting joy in Śiva’s realm and intimate proximity to the Divine Feminine (Lalitā).

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

By presenting a specific sacred time (tithi) and its fruit, the verse emphasizes bhakti expressed through vrata-observance—devotional discipline aligned with the lunar calendar—leading to divine companionship and loka-prāpti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Jyotiṣa-based timekeeping: identifying the month (Nabhasya/Bhādrapada), fortnight (Śukla), and tithi (Ṣaṣṭhī) to correctly perform a vrata within the Vedic calendrical framework.