Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

कुंभाश्चतुर्दशैवात्र सपूगाक्षतमोदकाः । सदक्षिणांशुकास्ताम्रामृन्मयाश्चाव्रणा नवाः ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

kuṃbhāścaturdaśaivātra sapūgākṣatamodakāḥ | sadakṣiṇāṃśukāstāmrāmṛnmayāścāvraṇā navāḥ || 77 ||

Translation

Ici, l’on doit disposer quatorze pots d’eau (kumbha), avec des noix de bétel, de l’akṣata (riz intact) et des modaka (offrandes sucrées). Qu’on y joigne la dakṣiṇā et des étoffes ; les pots seront neufs, en cuivre ou en argile, sans aucune fissure.

Word by Word

• kuṃbhāḥ: pots, jars
• kuṃbhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṃbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Saṅkhyā (संख्या)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; प्रथमा (Nominative) बहुवचनार्थे (used predicatively: 'fourteen')

• eva: indeed, exactly
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• sa-pūga-akṣata-modakāḥ: (pots) with betel-nuts, unbroken rice, and sweets
• sa-pūga-akṣata-modakāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa- (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + pūga (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣata (प्रातिपदिक) + modaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); कुंभानां विशेषण (qualifier of pots): 'with ...'

• sa-dakṣiṇā-aṃśukāḥ: (pots) with dakṣiṇā (fee) and cloths
• sa-dakṣiṇā-aṃśukāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa- (अव्यय/सह) + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); कुंभानां विशेषण

• tāmra-mṛnmayāḥ: copper and earthen (ones)
• tāmra-mṛnmayāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmra (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛnmaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); कुंभानां विशेषण; द्वन्द्वः: 'copper and earthen'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• avraṇāḥ: unblemished, without cracks/wounds
• avraṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); कुंभानां विशेषण

• navāḥ: new
• navāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); कुंभानां विशेषण

Speaker

Narada (in instructional narration within the Adhyaya’s ritual listing)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes śuddhi (ritual purity) and completeness in worship: using new, unbroken vessels and offering dakṣiṇā and cloth reflects reverence, generosity (dāna), and correctness of observance.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through careful upacāra (devotional services)—arranging offerings like akṣata and modaka, and honoring the rite with dakṣiṇā—showing devotion through disciplined, respectful worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) in practice: specifying counts (fourteen kumbhas), acceptable materials (copper/clay), and conditions (new, uncracked), which are key operational rules of Vedic-style ritual performance.