Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

अत्यन्गिष्टोमयज्ञस्य फलमष्टगुणं लभेत् । वैशाखशुक्लद्वादश्यामुपोष्य मधुसूदनम् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

atyangiṣṭomayajñasya phalamaṣṭaguṇaṃ labhet | vaiśākhaśukladvādaśyāmupoṣya madhusūdanam || 49 ||

Translation

Celui qui observe le jeûne (upavāsa) pour Madhusūdana au jour de Śukla Dvādaśī, le douzième de la quinzaine claire de Vaiśākha, reçoit un mérite huit fois supérieur au fruit du sacrifice Aṅgiṣṭoma.

Word by Word

• अति: exceedingly / very
• अति: समासाङ्ग (compound-member)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद-भाव (intensifier)

• अङ्गिष्टोम: Aṅgiṣṭoma (a Soma-sacrifice)
• अङ्गिष्टोम: समासाङ्ग (compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिष्टोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (in compound with यज्ञ)

• यज्ञस्य: of the sacrifice
• यज्ञस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अष्ट: eight
• अष्ट: समासाङ्ग (compound-member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (in compound) ‘eight’

• गुणम्: fold (times)
• गुणम्: कर्म (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (as adjective) ‘fold/times’

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/सम्भावना), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वैशाख: Vaiśākha (month)
• वैशाख: समासाङ्ग (compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, (in compound) month-name stem

• शुक्ल: bright (fortnight)
• शुक्ल: समासाङ्ग (compound-member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, (in compound) ‘bright’ (fortnight)

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day
• द्वादश्याम्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+वस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having fasted/observed upavāsa’

• मधुसूदनम्: Madhusūdana (Vishnu)
• मधुसूदनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvādaśī-vrata (Vaiśākha Śukla Dvādaśī upavāsa for Madhusūdana)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Madhusudana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It elevates Vaiṣṇava vrata (fasting for Madhusūdana on Vaiśākha Śukla Dvādaśī) as a highly efficacious dharmic act, declaring its merit to surpass even major śrauta sacrifices.

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

The verse frames devotion to Viṣṇu through disciplined worship (upavāsa and remembrance of Madhusūdana) as a direct means to attain great spiritual merit, emphasizing bhakti-oriented practice over ritual complexity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical and ritual precision—identifying the lunar tithi (Śukla Dvādaśī) in the month of Vaiśākha—reflecting applied Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy) for correct vrata timing.