Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

The Exposition of the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Observed Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

मोदते ललितादेव्या शैवे वै सखिवच्चिरम् । नभस्ये मासि या शुक्ला षष्ठी सा चंदनाह्वया ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

modate lalitādevyā śaive vai sakhivacciram | nabhasye māsi yā śuklā ṣaṣṭhī sā caṃdanāhvayā || 29 ||

Translation

La lumineuse sixième lune (Śukla-Ṣaṣṭhī) du mois de Nabhasya est appelée « Candanā ». En l’observant, on se réjouit longtemps dans le royaume de Śiva, jouissant de la compagnie de la Déesse Lalitā comme d’une amie proche.

Word by Word

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ललितादेव्या: with Goddess Lalitā
• ललितादेव्या: Karana (करण/with whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललिता + देवी (प्रातिपदिक); components: ललिता + देवी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करणार्थे (with Lalitā-devī)

• शैवे: in the Śaiva (observance)
• शैवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the Śaiva [rite/observance])

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सखिवत्: like a friend
• सखिवत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial: like a friend)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• नभस्ये: in Nabhasya (Bhādrapada)
• नभस्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; month-name (Bhādrapada)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to ṣaṣṭhī

• शुक्ला: bright (waxing)
• शुक्ला: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of षष्ठी

• षष्ठी: the sixth lunar day
• षष्ठी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; tithi-name

• सा: that
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative

• चन्दनाह्वया: called ‘Candana’
• चन्दनाह्वया: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्दन + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक); components: चन्दन (sandal) + आह्वय (named)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of षष्ठी; बहुव्रीहि-like sense 'having the name', but form is षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चन्दनम् आह्वयः यस्याः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/tithi-mahātmya sequence; dialogue tradition with Sanatkumāra line implied for Book 1.4)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Candanā (śukla-ṣaṣṭhī observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Lalitā Devī
• Śiva

FAQs

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

It teaches the phala (spiritual result) of observing the Śukla-Ṣaṣṭhī in Nabhasya—called Candanā—promising long-lasting joy in Śiva’s realm and intimate proximity to the Divine Feminine (Lalitā).

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

By presenting a specific sacred time (tithi) and its fruit, the verse emphasizes bhakti expressed through vrata-observance—devotional discipline aligned with the lunar calendar—leading to divine companionship and loka-prāpti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Jyotiṣa-based timekeeping: identifying the month (Nabhasya/Bhādrapada), fortnight (Śukla), and tithi (Ṣaṣṭhī) to correctly perform a vrata within the Vedic calendrical framework.