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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

स्वयं च तन्मितं चाद्यादेवं कुर्याद्व्रतोत्तमम् । द्विसप्तवर्षपर्यंतं तत उद्यापयेत्सुधीः ॥ २७ ॥

svayaṃ ca tanmitaṃ cādyādevaṃ kuryādvratottamam | dvisaptavarṣaparyaṃtaṃ tata udyāpayetsudhīḥ || 27 ||

Il doit lui-même prendre part (à la nourriture prescrite) et donner aussi aux autres une portion mesurée et convenable. Ainsi observera-t-il ce vœu excellent durant quatorze ans; puis le sage accomplira le rite de conclusion (udyāpana).

svayamoneself
svayam:
Karta-nirdeśa (कर्तृनिर्देश)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsvayam (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; आत्मार्थक (oneself/personally)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
tatthat
tat:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that (portion/thing)’
mitammeasured
mitam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmita (कृदन्त; मा धातु/मि धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘measured/limited’
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
adyātshould eat
adyāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootad (अद् धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should eat’
evamthus
evam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)
kuryātshould perform
kuryāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (कृ धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should do/perform’
vrata-uttamamthe best vow
vrata-uttamam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvrata + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘uttamaṃ vrataṃ’ = the best vow
dvi-sapta(two and seven=) fourteen
dvi-sapta:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvi + sapta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्या-समास (numeral compound) ‘fourteen’; समासपूर्वपद
varṣayears
varṣa:
Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
TypeNoun
Rootvarṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग
paryantamup to (the limit)
paryantam:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootparyanta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘up to the limit’ (duration as accusative)
dvisaptavarṣaparyantamfor fourteen years
dvisaptavarṣaparyantam:
Kāla (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdvi-sapta + varṣa + paryanta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमाससमूहः; द्वितीया-एकवचन (कालपरिमाणे द्वितीया) functioning adverbially = ‘for fourteen years’
tataḥthen
tataḥ:
Kāla/Anukrama (काल/अनुक्रम)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottataḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (thereafter)
udyāpayetshould conclude (the vow)
udyāpayet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootud-yā (उद्+या धातु, causative)
Formणिजन्त (causative), विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should cause to be concluded/perform the concluding rite’
sudhīḥthe wise person
sudhīḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsu-dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘good/intelligent person’

Narada (in dialogue tradition with the Sanatkumara brothers, teaching vrata-vidhi)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

It frames vrata as disciplined self-practice plus regulated giving, and stresses completion through udyāpana—showing that spiritual merit is perfected when a vow is carried through to its proper conclusion.

By emphasizing steady long-term observance and a formal concluding offering, it supports bhakti as sustained commitment—devotion expressed through consistent sacred discipline rather than momentary enthusiasm.

Ritual procedure (kalpa-style vrata-vidhi): measured intake (mita), appropriate distribution/dāna, a fixed duration (fourteen years), and the formal udyāpana that completes the rite.