Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Account of the Ekādaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

इति संप्रार्थ्य देवाग्रे चातुर्मास्यप्रचोदितान् । नियमांस्तु यथाशक्ति गृह्णीयाद्भक्तिमान्नरः ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

iti saṃprārthya devāgre cāturmāsyapracoditān | niyamāṃstu yathāśakti gṛhṇīyādbhaktimānnaraḥ || 24 ||

Translation

Ainsi, après avoir prié comme il se doit devant le Seigneur, l’âme dévouée doit entreprendre—selon ses forces—les observances prescrites pour le Cāturmāsya, la période sacrée de quatre mois.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative/particle)

• संप्रार्थ्य: having prayed
• संप्रार्थ्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र√अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; having prayed

• देव-अग्रे: before the deity
• देव-अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular; ‘in front of the deity’

• चातुर्मास्य-प्रचोदितान्: enjoined for the four-month period
• चातुर्मास्य-प्रचोदितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रचोदित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural; ‘enjoined for the cāturmāsya (four-month observance)’

• नियमान्: vows/observances
• नियमान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• तु: indeed/then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis), अव्यय

• यथा-शक्ति: as per one’s capacity
• यथा-शक्ति: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास, क्रियाविशेषण; ‘according to ability’

• गृह्णीयात्: should undertake/accept
• गृह्णीयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg

• भक्तिमान्: devout
• भक्तिमान्: Karta (कर्ता/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; Nominative singular; ‘possessed of devotion’ (मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Narada Purana’s instructional dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Cāturmāsya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Deva (the Lord)

FAQs

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

It teaches that vrata-practice should begin with prayerful surrender before the Lord and be sustained through disciplined observances, taken in a spirit of devotion rather than display.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical: the devotee approaches the Lord (devāgre), prays, and then adopts niyamas as an offering—measured by sincerity and capacity (yathāśakti), not by austerity alone.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: the verse points to structured vrata-niyamas for Cāturmāsya and emphasizes proper procedure—prayer, intention, and regulated observance.