Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

आषाढशुक्लसप्तम्यां विवस्वान्नाम भास्करः । जातस्तं तत्र संप्रार्च्य गन्धपुष्पादिभिः पृथक् ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

āṣāḍhaśuklasaptamyāṃ vivasvānnāma bhāskaraḥ | jātastaṃ tatra saṃprārcya gandhapuṣpādibhiḥ pṛthak || 28 ||

Translation

Au septième jour de la quinzaine claire du mois d’Āṣāḍha, le Soleil—Bhāskara—se manifesta sous le nom de Vivasvān. C’est pourquoi il convient de L’y adorer avec le respect requis, en offrant séparément parfums, fleurs et autres présents.

Word by Word

• आषाढ-शुक्ल-सप्तम्याम्: on the bright seventh of Āṣāḍha
• आषाढ-शुक्ल-सप्तम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आषाढ (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक; तिथि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समयाधिकरणे: आषाढमासे शुक्लपक्षस्य सप्तमी

• विवस्वान्: Vivasvān (the Sun)
• विवस्वान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Name-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘by name’)

• भास्करः: Bhāskara (the Sun)
• भास्करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समनाधिकरण (विवस्वान् = भास्करः)

• जातः: was born
• जातः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + त (क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भास्करः)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्ग-निर्देशक (locative adverb)

• सम्प्रार्च्य: having worshipped (properly)
• सम्प्रार्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + प्र + अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• गन्ध-पुष्प-आदिभिः: with fragrances, flowers, etc.
• गन्ध-पुष्प-आदिभिः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (gandha and puṣpa etc.)

• पृथक्: separately/individually
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none (Sūrya/Saptamī observance implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhaskara
• Vivasvan
• Surya

FAQs

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

It assigns sacred timing (Āṣāḍha-śukla Saptamī) to the manifestation of Sūrya as Vivasvān and teaches that honoring divine appearances through properly ordered offerings is a dharmic act that strengthens devotion and auspiciousness.

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

Bhakti is expressed here through upāsanā—reverent worship of Bhāskara with tangible offerings (fragrance, flowers, etc.) performed with attention to sacred time, showing disciplined devotion rather than merely verbal praise.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics through precise tithi-month specification (Āṣāḍha, śukla pakṣa, Saptamī) and practical ritual procedure—offering items in a distinct, orderly manner (pṛthak) as part of vrata-style worship.