Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

तत्र दुर्गाचनं प्रोक्तं सव्रैरप्युपचारकैः । उपवासं चैकभक्तं महाष्टम्यां विधाय तु ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

tatra durgācanaṃ proktaṃ savrairapyupacārakaiḥ | upavāsaṃ caikabhaktaṃ mahāṣṭamyāṃ vidhāya tu || 77 ||

Translation

Là, l’adoration de la Déesse Durgā est prescrite, avec tous les services rituels et les offrandes d’usage. Et après avoir observé, lors de la Grande Huitième (Mahāṣṭamī), un jeûne—ekabhakta, ne prenant qu’un seul repas—qu’on poursuive ensuite le rite.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there/then
• तत्र: Deśa/Kāla-adhikaraṇa (देश/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: there/then)

• दुर्गा-अर्चनम्: worship of Durgā
• दुर्गा-अर्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दुर्गायाः अर्चनम्)

• प्रोक्तम्: is prescribed/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कथितम्’

• स-व्रैः: together with (vows/observances)
• स-व्रैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्गसदृश/प्रातिपदिक ‘सह’) + व्र (प्रातिपदिक; ‘व्र’ = व्रत/व्रतिनः इत्यर्थे, पाठभेदसम्भवः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः ‘सह’ अर्थे (with vows/with observances)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also)

• उपचारकैः: with offerings/attendant services
• उपचारकैः: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• उपवासम्: fasting
• उपवासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एक-भक्तम्: single-meal observance
• एक-भक्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; coordinated with ‘उपवासम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त—भज् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुषसदृशः (एकवारभोजनम्)

• महा-अष्टम्याम्: on the great eighth day
• महा-अष्टम्याम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती अष्टमी)

• विधाय: having done/observed
• विधाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having performed/ordained)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (particle: indeed/but)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a prescriptive, anukramaṇikā-style summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahāṣṭamī (Durgā observance within Navarātra frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: vira (heroic)

Characters & Entities

• Durgā

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined devotion: Durgā is to be worshipped with complete ritual attentiveness (upacāras) and inner austerity through fasting, aligning the body and mind for śakti-upāsanā.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through pūjā (Durgārcana) supported by vrata—upavāsa and ekabhakta—showing devotion as both loving worship and self-restraint.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and basic tithi-based observance are implied: Mahāṣṭamī (the eighth lunar day) is the timing, and upacāras outline the practical structure of the worship.