Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Daśamī-vrata: Observances for the Bright Tenth Day Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

आषाढशुक्लदशमी पुण्या मन्वादिकैः स्मृता । तस्यां स्नानं जपो दानं होमो वा स्वर्गतिप्रदाः ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

āṣāḍhaśukladaśamī puṇyā manvādikaiḥ smṛtā | tasyāṃ snānaṃ japo dānaṃ homo vā svargatipradāḥ || 11 ||

Translation

Le dixième jour lunaire (Daśamī) de la quinzaine claire d’Āṣāḍha est tenu pour saint par Manu et d’autres autorités. En ce jour, le bain sacré, le japa, l’aumône ou le homa dans le feu rituel accordent l’accès au svarga.

Word by Word

• āṣāḍha-śukla-daśamī: the 10th (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha
• āṣāḍha-śukla-daśamī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āṣāḍha (प्रातिपदिक) + śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + daśamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (निर्देशात्मक): ‘आषाढमासस्य शुक्लपक्षस्य दशमी’ (genitive chain)

• puṇyā: holy/meritorious
• puṇyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दशमी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• manu-ādikaiḥ: by Manu and others
• manu-ādikaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘मन्वादि’ = ‘Manu and others’ (ādi-शब्देन समाहार); instrumental: ‘by Manu etc.’

• smṛtā: is said/remembered
• smṛtā: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative verbal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/declared’

• tasyām: on that (day)
• tasyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘on that (tithi)’

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• japaḥ: recitation (japa)
• japaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dānam: charity
• dānam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• homaḥ: fire-offering (homa)
• homaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle) = ‘or’

• svarga-gati-pradāḥ: granting passage to heaven
• svarga-gati-pradāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + gati (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘snāna-japa-dāna-homa’ इत्येषां विशेषण; समासः: ‘स्वर्गस्य गतिं प्रददाति’ (goal-bestowing)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in an anukramanika-style dharma listing; traditionally framed within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Daśamī-vrata (Āṣāḍha Śukla Daśamī observance; often associated in broader tradition with Gaṅgā-daśaharā)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Manu

FAQs

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

It marks Āṣāḍha Śukla Daśamī as an especially merit-producing tithi, where standard dharmic acts—snāna, japa, dāna, and homa—are said to yield svarga-gati (heavenly attainment).

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

While it is primarily a dharma/karma-oriented tithi teaching, japa (mantra-recitation) can be performed as Viṣṇu-nāma-japa or iṣṭa-devatā remembrance, turning the day’s ritual merit into a devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects calendar-based ritual timing (tithi observance), closely connected to Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga (lunar day reckoning) and Kalpa-style ritual practice (snāna, dāna, homa procedures).