Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

एकादशी निवृत्ता चेत्सूर्यस्योदयतः पुरा । तदा तु त्रिस्पृशा नाम द्वादशी सा महाफला ॥ ९६ ॥

Transliteration

ekādaśī nivṛttā cetsūryasyodayataḥ purā | tadā tu trispṛśā nāma dvādaśī sā mahāphalā || 96 ||

Translation

Si le tithi d’Ekādaśī s’achève avant le lever du soleil, alors cette Dvādaśī est appelée Trispṛśā et porte un fruit immense pour les observances pieuses.

Word by Word

• एकादशी: Ekādaśī (11th lunar day)
• एकादशी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निवृत्ता: ended
• निवृत्ता: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृतान्त (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘एकादशी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Nimitta (निमित्त/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle ‘if’)

• सूर्यस्य: of the sun
• सूर्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उदयतः: before sunrise (from the sunrise point)
• उदयतः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative point)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• पुरा: beforehand
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time: earlier/before)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (emphasis/contrast particle)

• त्रिस्पृशा: Trispṛśā (name of a Dvādaśī)
• त्रिस्पृशा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पृश् (धातु) + टाप् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (संख्यापूर्वपद: ‘त्रीणि स्पर्शानि यस्याः/या’—name-form), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: named
• नाम: Nama-nirdesha (नामनिर्देश/Appositive marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देश (indeclinable ‘named/called’)

• द्वादशी: Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादशी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘त्रिस्पृशा’ इति समानाधिकरण

• सा: that
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; pronoun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाफला: highly fruitful
• महाफला: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + टाप्
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘महद् फलम् यस्याः’ (great-fruited); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘द्वादशी/सा’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahā-dvādaśī: Trispṛśā

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

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

It highlights that correct timing (tithi-nirṇaya) is integral to vrata-dharma: when Ekādaśī ends before sunrise, the following Dvādaśī becomes especially meritorious (mahāphalā) for completing the observance properly.

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

By emphasizing Ekādaśī–Dvādaśī discipline as a Viṣṇu-oriented vow, it teaches that bhakti is expressed through careful observance—honoring sacred time and completing the vow in the most auspicious window.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology): determining tithi boundaries with reference to sunrise, and classifying special Dvādaśī conditions such as Trispṛśā for ritual decision-making.