Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

The Narration of the Trayodaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

माघशुक्लत्रयोदश्यां समारभ्य दिनत्रयम् । माघस्नानव्रतं विप्र नानाकामफलावहम् ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

māghaśuklatrayodaśyāṃ samārabhya dinatrayam | māghasnānavrataṃ vipra nānākāmaphalāvaham || 73 ||

Translation

Oh brāhmaṇa, comenzando en la Trayodaśī de la quincena clara de Māgha y continuando por tres días, se emprende el voto del baño de Māgha (māgha-snāna-vrata), que otorga los frutos de muchos anhelos.

Word by Word

• māgha-śukla-trayodaśyām: on Māgha bright-fortnight’s thirteenth day
• māgha-śukla-trayodaśyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक) + śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + trayodaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: माघमासस्य शुक्लपक्षस्य त्रयोदशी = on the 13th of Māgha bright fortnight

• samārabhya: starting (from)
• samārabhya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-rabh (रभ्/रम्भ् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); उपसर्ग: सम्+आ; अर्थ: having begun/starting

• dina-trayam: for three days
• dina-trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.); द्विगु-समास: त्रयः दिनाः = three days (as a unit)

• māgha-snāna-vratam: the Māgha-bathing vow
• māgha-snāna-vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक) + snāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष: माघे स्नानस्य व्रतम् = vow of bathing in Māgha

• vipra: O Brahmin
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (sg.)

• nānā-kāma-phala-āvaham: bringing many desired results
• nānā-kāma-phala-āvaham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक from ā-√vah)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषणम् (adjective) agreeing with ‘vratam’; तत्पुरुष-समास: नानाविधानि कामफलानि आवहति इति = bringing various desired fruits

Speaker

Narada (teaching in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition; addressing a vipra)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Māgha (month)
• Trayodaśī (tithi)
• Vrata (vow)

FAQs

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

It prescribes a specific, time-bound vrata—Māgha snāna for three days starting on Śukla Trayodaśī—highlighting that disciplined observance aligned with sacred time yields broad spiritual and worldly merit (puṇya and iṣṭa-phala).

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

While framed as a ritual vow, the verse supports bhakti indirectly: regular sacred bathing in Māgha is traditionally performed with remembrance of Hari and tīrtha-sankalpa, making bodily purification a vehicle for devotional intention and sustained sādhana over multiple days.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa-style calendrical precision—identifying the month (Māgha), fortnight (Śukla), and tithi (Trayodaśī)—to correctly time the vrata and thereby secure its promised results.