Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

समाच्छाद्यान्यशूर्पेण व्रती दद्यात्समन्त्रकम् । क्षीरोदार्णवसंभूता लक्ष्मीश्चन्द्रसहोदरा ॥ ७० ॥

Transliteration

samācchādyānyaśūrpeṇa vratī dadyātsamantrakam | kṣīrodārṇavasaṃbhūtā lakṣmīścandrasahodarā || 70 ||

Translation

Après avoir recouvert (l’offrande) d’un autre van, l’observant du vœu doit la présenter avec le mantra prescrit : « Lakṣmī, née de l’Océan de Lait, sœur de la Lune. »

Word by Word

• समाच्छाद्य: having covered
• समाच्छाद्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-छद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); “having covered”

• अन्यशूर्पेण: with another winnowing basket
• अन्यशूर्पेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य-शूर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—अन्यं शूर्पम् (कर्मधारय)

• व्रती: the vow-observer
• व्रती: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष?; actually 3rd person singular Parasmaipada; एकवचन

• समन्त्रकम्: together with mantras
• समन्त्रकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-मन्त्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—मन्त्रेण सह (उपपद-समास/कर्मधारय-प्रायः); विशेषण (qualifier of the offering)

• क्षीरोदार्णवसंभूता: born from the Ocean of Milk
• क्षीरोदार्णवसंभूता: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीर-उद-आर्णव-सम्भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त—सम्-भू (क्त); समासः—क्षीरोद-आर्णवात् सम्भूता (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• लक्ष्मीः: Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चन्द्रसहोदरा: sister of the Moon
• चन्द्रसहोदरा: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र-सहोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—चन्द्रस्य सहोदरा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); विशेषण (of लक्ष्मीः)

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the vrata-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none (vrata-vidhi context; specific name not stated here)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It prescribes mantra-guided giving during a vow (vrata), linking the act of offering to Lakṣmī’s cosmic origin, thereby sacralizing charity as devotion and dharmic discipline.

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

Bhakti is expressed through reverent ritual action: the devotee offers with a specific mantra that remembers Lakṣmī’s divine nature, turning a physical donation into worshipful remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual procedure and correct mantra-application (prayoga): offering should be done “sa-mantrakam,” emphasizing precise liturgical performance akin to kalpa-style vrata-vidhi.