Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Tithi-Nirṇaya for Vratas: Ekādaśī Rules, Saṅkrānti Punya-kāla, Eclipse Observances, and Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

प्रतिपद्दिवसे कुर्याद्यागं च मुनिसत्तम । पर्वणो यश्चतुर्थांश आद्याः प्रतिपदस्त्रयः ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

pratipaddivase kuryādyāgaṃ ca munisattama | parvaṇo yaścaturthāṃśa ādyāḥ pratipadastrayaḥ || 36 ||

Translation

Oh, el mejor de los munis: en el día de Pratipadā debe realizarse el yāga, la adoración sacrificial. Las tres primeras Pratipadās constituyen la cuarta parte de la observancia vinculada al parvan (la coyuntura festiva).

Word by Word

• प्रतिपत्-दिवसे: on the day of pratipadā
• प्रतिपत्-दिवसे: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपत् (प्रातिपदिक) + दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) ‘दिवस’, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘प्रतिपदः दिवसः’ = ‘day of pratipad’)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यागम्: a sacrifice/ritual offering
• यागम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

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

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनिसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); मुनि + सत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (‘सत्तमो मुनिः’)

• पर्वणः: of the parvan (festival/period)
• पर्वणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• यः: which/that (relative)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• चतुर्थांशः: the fourth part
• चतुर्थांशः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थांश (प्रातिपदिक); चतुर्थ + अंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘caturthaḥ aṃśaḥ’ = ‘fourth part’)

• आद्याः: the first/initial
• आद्याः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• प्रतिपदः: pratipadā days (first tithis)
• प्रतिपदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Vedic/epic plural form for प्रतिपदाः)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (numeral adjective)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Parvan-related observance (unnamed); pratipadā-yāga instruction

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It sanctifies the very beginning of the lunar cycle (Pratipadā) as a proper time for yāga, emphasizing disciplined observance of sacred time (kāla-dharma) at parvan junctions.

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

By prescribing worship at Pratipadā, it channels devotion into regular, time-bound offerings; such steady ritual worship supports bhakti through consistency and purity of practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics—using tithi (Pratipadā) and parvan-based timing—and the ritual-technical idea of dividing an observance into fractional parts (caturthāṃśa).