Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

The exposition of the Pañcamī vow to be observed in the twelve months

Devanagari script

अशुभे तु समुत्पन्ने शिवपूजापरायणः । सोपवासो नयेदष्टयामं तद्दिनमेव वा ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

aśubhe tu samutpanne śivapūjāparāyaṇaḥ | sopavāso nayedaṣṭayāmaṃ taddinameva vā || 14 ||

Translation

Mais lorsqu’un signe néfaste survient, celui qui se voue au culte de Śiva doit observer l’upavāsa (jeûne) et demeurer dans cette discipline durant huit yāmas (un jour entier) ou du moins ce jour-là même.

Word by Word

• aśubhe: in (something) inauspicious
• aśubhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); used substantively 'in an inauspicious (dream/omen)'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (निपात), contrast

• samutpanne: having arisen/occurred
• samutpanne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samutpanna (सम्+उत्+√pad्/पत्; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with aśubhe

• śiva-pūjā-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to worship of Shiva
• śiva-pūjā-parāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: śivasya pūjāyām parāyaṇaḥ = devoted to Shiva-worship

• sa-upavāsaḥ: with fasting/fasting
• sa-upavāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); avyayībhāva sense 'with fasting'

• nayet: should spend/should pass (time)
• nayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṣṭa-yāmam: the eight watches (full day)
• aṣṭa-yāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + yāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu compound meaning 'eight watches' (a full day-night)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying dinam

• dinam: day
• dinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: just/only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-निपात)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Śiva-śānti/upavāsa (remedial fast; specific vrata-name not stated)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents fasting combined with Śiva-worship as a dharmic remedy (śānti/prāyaścitta) to neutralize inauspicious conditions and restore inner and outer auspiciousness.

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

It frames bhakti as practical and disciplined: devotion to Śiva is expressed through pūjā and self-restraint (upavāsa), showing that sincere worship is also a lived vow.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied Kāla/Time-discipline used in ritual contexts—measuring observance by yāma units (a time-division relevant to traditional calendrical and ritual timing, often treated alongside Jyotiṣa-based practice).