Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1
Tithi-Nirṇaya for Vratas: Ekādaśī Rules, Saṅkrānti Punya-kāla, Eclipse Observances, and Prāyaścitta
सनक उवाच । तिथीनां निर्णयं वक्ष्ये प्राचश्चित्तविधिं तथा । श्रृणुष्व तन्मुनिश्रेष्ठ कर्मसिद्धिर्यतो भवेत् ॥ १ ॥
sanaka uvāca | tithīnāṃ nirṇayaṃ vakṣye prācaścittavidhiṃ tathā | śrṛṇuṣva tanmuniśreṣṭha karmasiddhiryato bhavet || 1 ||
Dijo Sanaka: Expondré la determinación de los tithi (días lunares) y también el método de prāyaścitta (expiación). Escucha, oh el mejor de los sabios: por ello se alcanza el logro perfecto de los ritos.
Sanaka
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: none
FAQs
It frames ritual life as spiritually effective only when grounded in correct dharma—right timing (tithi) and purification through prāyaścitta—so that actions become truly fruitful (karma-siddhi).
While not directly teaching bhakti, it supports devotional practice by insisting that vows and worship become effective when performed on the proper tithis and with expiations that remove obstacles to sincere devotion.
It highlights calendrical/astronomical computation used for tithi-nirṇaya (a Jyotiṣa-oriented discipline) and the ritual jurisprudence of prāyaścitta—both essential for correctly executing Vedic and Purāṇic rites.