Shloka 39

Tithi-vicara

Determination of Tithi for Fasts, Parana, and Pitri Rites

Devanagari script

श्वहतं पंचगव्यं च दशम्या दूषितां त्यजेत् । एकादशीं द्विजश्रेष्ठाः पक्षयोरुभयोरपि ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

śvahataṃ paṃcagavyaṃ ca daśamyā dūṣitāṃ tyajet | ekādaśīṃ dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ pakṣayorubhayorapi || 39 ||

Translation

Si le pañcagavya a été altéré ou souillé, qu’on le rejette ; de même, ô meilleurs des deux-fois-nés, il faut abandonner une Ekādaśī entachée par la Daśamī, que ce soit dans la quinzaine claire ou dans la quinzaine sombre.

Word by Word

• śva-hatam: dog-killed (contaminated)
• śva-hatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक) + hata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Neuter; Tatpuruṣa: 'killed by a dog'; hata = PPP (क्त) of √han (हन्)

• paṃca-gavyam: pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• paṃca-gavyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃca (अव्यय/संख्या) + gavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Neuter; Dvigu: 'five products of the cow'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• daśamyāḥ: from the tenth (tithi)
• daśamyāḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग)

• dūṣitām: defiled/tainted
• dūṣitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dūṣ (दूष्, धातु) → dūṣita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Feminine; Past passive participle (क्त) qualifying ekādaśīm (understood/continued sense)

• tyajet: should abandon
• tyajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (त्यज्, धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada

• ekādaśīm: the eleventh (tithi)/Ekādaśī
• ekādaśīm: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग)

• dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ: O best of the twice-born
• dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural; Masculine; Tatpuruṣa: 'best among twice-born'

• pakṣayoḥ: of the two fortnights
• pakṣayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग)

• ubhayayoḥ: of both
• ubhayayoḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual; Masculine/Neuter agreeing with pakṣayoḥ

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात): inclusion 'also/even'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekādaśī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Dvija

FAQs

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

It stresses ritual and calendrical purity: a vow (vrata) yields its intended spiritual fruit only when performed on a properly qualified Ekādaśī, free from taint (dūṣaṇa/vedha) by the preceding tithi.

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

By instructing devotees to observe Ekādaśī correctly, it protects the integrity of Viṣṇu-oriented vrata practice—showing that bhakti is expressed not only by sentiment but also by disciplined, rule-based observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa (lunar-day/tithi determination): it points to tithi-qualification rules such as Daśamī contamination of Ekādaśī (daśamī-vedha), applicable in both fortnights.