Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

सर्वेश्वरायागस्त्यस्य पत्रं प्रीतिविवर्द्धनम् । दूर्वायुग्मं ततो गृह्य गंधपुष्पाक्षतैर्युतम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

sarveśvarāyāgastyasya patraṃ prītivivarddhanam | dūrvāyugmaṃ tato gṛhya gaṃdhapuṣpākṣatairyutam || 34 ||

Translation

Pour Sarveśvara, Seigneur de tout, on dit que la feuille d’Agastya accroît la joie. Ensuite, qu’on prenne une paire d’herbe dūrvā, avec parfum, fleurs et akṣata (riz intact), et qu’on l’offre dans le culte.

Word by Word

• sarveśvarāya: to the Lord of all
• sarveśvarāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (sarveṣām īśvaraḥ)

• agastyasya: of Agastya
• agastyasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/Genitive), एकवचन

• patram: a leaf
• patram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prīti-vivardhanam: increasing delight
• prīti-vivardhanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīti + vivardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (prītim vivardhayati iti)

• dūrvā-yugmam: a pair/bunch of dūrvā
• dūrvā-yugmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūrvā + yugma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dūrvāyāḥ yugmam = pair/bunch of dūrvā)

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• gṛhya: having taken
• gṛhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु) + ya (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), √ग्रह्; अर्थः ‘गृहित्वा’ (having taken)

• gandha-puṣpa-akṣataiḥ: with fragrance, flowers, and unbroken rice grains
• gandha-puṣpa-akṣataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha + puṣpa + akṣata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गन्धश्च पुष्पाणि च अक्षताश्च)

• yutam: accompanied by
• yutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-प्राय विशेषण (endowed/combined with)

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the adhyaya’s ritual sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sarveshvara

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is expressed through specific, sattvic offerings—agastya leaf and dūrvā—presented with gandha, flowers, and akṣata to please Sarveśvara.

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

Bhakti here is practical and embodied: the devotee lovingly gathers pure items and offers them with reverence, emphasizing pleasing the Lord through attentive worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure): the prescribed upacāras and the correct assembly of offerings (dūrvā, gandha, puṣpa, akṣata) used in pūjā.