Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

The Description of the Skanda Purāṇa’s Anukramaṇī

Index/Summary

Devanagari script

श्वेतोपाख्यानमत्रोक्तं पृथुत्सवनिरूपणम् । दोलोत्सवो भगवतो व्रतं सांवत्सराभिधम् ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

śvetopākhyānamatroktaṃ pṛthutsavanirūpaṇam | dolotsavo bhagavato vrataṃ sāṃvatsarābhidham || 28 ||

Translation

Ici sont aussi rapportés le récit de Śveta et l’exposé de la fête de Pṛthu ; de même est enseigné le Dolotsava du Seigneur (la fête de la balançoire), ainsi que le vœu nommé sāṃvatsara, l’observance annuelle.

Word by Word

• श्वेत-उपाख्यानम्: the narrative of Śveta
• श्वेत-उपाख्यानम्: कर्म (कर्मपद/Item described)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + उपाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘narrative of Śveta’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: देशाधिकरण (Locative adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb) — ‘here/in this (context)’

• उक्तम्: is stated
• उक्तम्: कर्मणि प्रयोग (Predicate in passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘said/mentioned’

• पृथु-उत्सव-निरूपणम्: the description of the Pṛthu festival
• पृथु-उत्सव-निरूपणम्: कर्म (कर्मपद/Item enumerated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक) + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला: ‘description of the Pṛthu-festival’

• दोल-उत्सवः: the swing festival
• दोल-उत्सवः: कर्म (कर्मपद/Item enumerated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘the swing-festival’

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of the Lord’

• व्रतम्: a vow; observance
• व्रतम्: कर्म (कर्मपद/Item enumerated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन — ‘vow/observance’

• सांवत्सर-अभिधम्: called ‘annual’
• सांवत्सर-अभिधम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सांवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे विशेषण: ‘called annual’ (agreeing with व्रतम्)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the contents/topics in the Narada Purana, in an anukramanika-style summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Sāṃvatsara-vrata (annual observance); Dolotsava (festival observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śveta
• Pṛthu
• Bhagavān (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It functions as a contents-marker, highlighting that devotion is cultivated not only through doctrine but also through sacred narratives (upākhyāna), royal-ideal exemplars (Pṛthu), and regulated worship via festivals (utsava) and vows (vrata) centered on Bhagavān.

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

By foregrounding Dolotsava and a named annual vow, the verse points to bhakti expressed as periodic, embodied worship—remembering and honoring Viṣṇu through communal celebration and disciplined observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual timing and calendrical discipline are implied—observances like ‘sāṃvatsara’ depend on proper reckoning of the year (kalā/pañcāṅga practice, linked to Jyotiṣa) and correct procedural framing of vows (vrata-vidhi).