Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

तुलस्याः कृष्णावर्णाया दलैर्दशभिरर्चयेत् । कृष्णं विष्णुं तथाऽनन्तं गोविन्दं गरुडध्वजम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

tulasyāḥ kṛṣṇāvarṇāyā dalairdaśabhirarcayet | kṛṣṇaṃ viṣṇuṃ tathā'nantaṃ govindaṃ garuḍadhvajam || 16 ||

Translation

Qu’on l’adore avec dix feuilles de tulasī à la teinte sombre (śyāmā), en invoquant le Seigneur comme Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Ananta, Govinda et Garuḍa-dhvaja, Celui dont l’étendard porte Garuḍa.

Word by Word

• तुलस्याः: of tulasī
• तुलस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध — ‘of tulasī’

• कृष्णावर्णायाः: dark-colored
• कृष्णावर्णायाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्णावर्णा (प्रातिपदिक; कृष्ण + वर्ण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘तुलस्याः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण — ‘of the dark-colored (tulasī)’

• दलैः: with leaves
• दलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण — ‘with leaves’

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: (संख्यावाचक) तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘दलैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण — ‘with ten’

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘should worship’

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Kṛṣṇa’

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Viṣṇu’

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक — ‘also’

• अनन्तम्: Ananta
• अनन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Ananta’

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘Govinda’

• गरुडध्वजम्: Garuḍa-bannered (Viṣṇu)
• गरुडध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुडध्वज (प्रातिपदिक; गरुड + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म — ‘(him) whose banner is Garuḍa’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Daśāphala-vrata (continued procedure)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Tulasi
• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Ananta
• Govinda
• Garuda-dhvaja

FAQs

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

It teaches a simple, sattvic act of Viṣṇu-bhakti: offering tulasī leaves while remembering multiple divine names, emphasizing that loving remembrance (nāma-smaraṇa) and pure offerings are central to worship.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through upacāra (devotional service): offering tulasī and addressing the Lord through cherished epithets—Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Ananta, Govinda, Garuḍa-dhvaja—cultivating intimacy, reverence, and focused remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (kalpa-style practice) is implied: a counted offering (ten leaves) and name-based invocation during arcana, reflecting practical pāñcarātra/vaidika worship discipline rather than grammar or astrology.