Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

स्त्रीणामेवाधिकारोऽत्र तद्विधानमुदीर्यते । पूजयेच्च गणाधीशं स्नाता स्त्रीसमलंकृता ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

strīṇāmevādhikāro'tra tadvidhānamudīryate | pūjayecca gaṇādhīśaṃ snātā strīsamalaṃkṛtā || 44 ||

Translation

Ici, l’aptitude rituelle (adhikāra) n’appartient qu’aux femmes; c’est pourquoi l’on énonce la règle prescrite. Après le bain, une femme, parée et prête, doit vénérer Gaṇādhiśa (Gaṇeśa), Seigneur des Gaṇas.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अधिकारः: eligibility/authority
• अधिकारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्र: here/in this (rite)
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• तत्-विधानम्: its procedure/rule
• तत्-विधानम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य विधानम्)

• उदीर्यते: is stated/expounded
• उदीर्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada); कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• गण-अधीशम्: the lord of the gaṇas (Gaṇeśa)
• गण-अधीशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गणानाम् अधीशः)

• स्नाता: having bathed
• स्नाता: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + स्नात (क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• स्त्री-समलंकृता: a woman, well-adorned
• स्त्री-समलंकृता: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + समलंकृत (सम्-√अलंकृ धातु, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘समलंकृत’ = well-adorned; समासः—कर्मधारयः (स्त्री च सा समलंकृता च)

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Purva Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Karakā (Karaka) vrata (contextual continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha (Ganadhisha)

FAQs

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

The verse establishes ritual eligibility (adhikāra) for a specific observance as belonging to women and highlights purity and readiness—bath and proper preparation—before worship, framing devotion as disciplined, rule-guided practice.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through orderly worship: the devotee prepares the body and mind (snāna, samalaṅkāra) and begins by honoring Gaṇeśa (Gaṇādhīśa), removing obstacles so the main vow or worship can proceed smoothly.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa-style ritual method: rules of eligibility (adhikāra), preparatory purification (snāna), and the sequence of worship (pūjā), which are core components of Vedic ritual procedure and vrata-vidhi.