Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 61

The exposition of the Pañcamī vow to be observed in the twelve months

Devanagari script

पंचम्यां प्रतिमासे तु शुक्ले कृष्णे च नारद । पितॄणां पूजनं शस्तं नागानां चापि सर्वथा ॥ ६१ ॥

Transliteration

paṃcamyāṃ pratimāse tu śukle kṛṣṇe ca nārada | pitṝṇāṃ pūjanaṃ śastaṃ nāgānāṃ cāpi sarvathā || 61 ||

Translation

હે નારદ! દરેક માસની પંચમીએ—શુક્લ અને કૃષ્ણ બંને પક્ષમાં—પિતૃઓનું પૂજન કલ્યાણકારી છે, અને નાગદેવોનું પૂજન પણ સર્વથા હિતકારી છે.

Word by Word

• पञ्चम्याम्: on the fifth (tithi)
• पञ्चम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रति-मासे: every month
• प्रति-मासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (प्रति मासम् = every month)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• शुक्ले: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्ले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (पक्षे)

• कृष्णे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (पक्षे)

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

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (Pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पूजनम्: worship
• पूजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शस्तम्: is recommended
• शस्तम्: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (कृदन्त; शंस्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विधेय-विशेषण (praised/recommended)

• नागानाम्: of the Nāgas
• नागानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: ‘also’)

• सर्वथा: in all respects/always
• सर्वथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘in every way/always’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Monthly Pañcamī observance (within Dvādaśa-māsa Pañcamī-vrata framework)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Pitrs
• Nagas

FAQs

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

It establishes Pañcamī as a recurring monthly sacred time for honoring lineage (Pitṛ-pūjā) and harmonizing with serpent-divinities (Nāga-pūjā), indicating dharma maintained through tithi-based rites in both fortnights.

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

It frames devotion as disciplined, calendar-aligned worship—expressed through reverence to Pitṛs and Nāgas—supporting purity, gratitude, and steadiness in religious life that complements broader Vishnu-bhakti taught in the Purāṇa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics: identifying the tithi (Pañcamī) across both Śukla and Kṛṣṇa pakṣa for scheduling prescribed rituals.