Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31
The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months
Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana
यदि चेद्धस्तयुक्तेयं तदा स्यात्पापनाशिनी । अस्यां दानं जपो होमः सर्वं चाक्षय्यतां व्रजेत् ॥ ३१ ॥
yadi ceddhastayukteyaṃ tadā syātpāpanāśinī | asyāṃ dānaṃ japo homaḥ sarvaṃ cākṣayyatāṃ vrajet || 31 ||
Et si ce temps/observance sacrée se trouve conjoint à la nakṣatra Hasta, il devient destructeur des péchés. En ce moment, l’aumône, la récitation des mantras (japa) et l’offrande au feu (homa)—bref toute œuvre pie—obtiennent un mérite impérissable, sans diminution.
Narada (teaching in the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that spiritual acts gain extraordinary power when performed at an auspicious conjunction—specifically when the occasion aligns with the Hasta nakṣatra—making the observance pāpanāśinī (sin-destroying) and its fruits akṣayya (undiminishing).
By elevating japa and homa done at a sanctified time, the verse supports bhakti-sādhana through disciplined practice: sincere repetition of divine names/mantras and offerings become more spiritually efficacious when aligned with dhārmic timing.
It reflects Jyotiṣa (a Vedāṅga) by linking the outcome of dāna, japa, and homa to the nakṣatra (Hasta), emphasizing electional timing (muhūrta/nakṣatra-yoga) for maximizing religious merit.