Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

आश्विने मासिशुक्लायां द्वादश्यांसमुपोषितः । पद्मनाभं चपयसा स्नापयेद्भक्तितः शुचिः ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

āśvine māsiśuklāyāṃ dvādaśyāṃsamupoṣitaḥ | padmanābhaṃ capayasā snāpayedbhaktitaḥ śuciḥ || 74 ||

Translation

Dans la quinzaine claire du mois d’Āśvina, après avoir observé le jeûne au douzième jour lunaire (Dvādaśī), le dévot pur doit, avec bhakti, baigner Padmanābha (Viṣṇu) avec du lait.

Word by Word

• आश्विने: in (the month) Āśvina
• आश्विने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्विन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (singular); ‘आश्विन-सम्बन्धे’ (in the month of Āśvina)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (singular)

• शुक्लायाम्: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्लायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (singular); ‘शुक्लपक्षे’ (in the bright fortnight)

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

• समुपोषितः: having fasted
• समुपोषितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उपोषित (कृदन्त, √उपवस्/उपोष् + क्त, सम्- उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• पद्मनाभम्: Padmanābha (Viṣṇu)
• पद्मनाभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मनाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पयसा: with milk
• पयसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (the deity)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्नापय् (धातु √स्ना, णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative; adverbial usage), एकवचन (singular)

• शुचिः: pure (one)
• शुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue on dharma and vrata)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvadashi-vrata (Padmanabha-focused)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Padmanabha
• Ashvina
• Dvadashi

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion expressed through disciplined observance—fasting on Dvādaśī and performing milk-abhiṣeka to Padmanābha—purifies the devotee and strengthens Vishnu-bhakti.

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

Bhakti is shown as loving service (sevā) done with inner purity (śuci) and reverence—offering a ritual bath to Vishnu is not mere formality but an act of heartfelt devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical and tithi-based observance (Dvādaśī in Āśvina śukla pakṣa), reflecting practical jyotiṣa-style timekeeping used to schedule vrata and pūjā.