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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Ekādaśī Vrata-Vidhi and the Galava–Bhadrashīla Itihāsa

Dharmakīrti before Yama

एकादशी महापुण्या विष्णोः प्रियतमा तिथिः । संसेव्या सर्वथा विप्रैः संसारच्छेदलिप्सुभिः ॥ ११ ॥

ekādaśī mahāpuṇyā viṣṇoḥ priyatamā tithiḥ | saṃsevyā sarvathā vipraiḥ saṃsāracchedalipsubhiḥ || 11 ||

Ekādaśī amat besar pahalanya—tithi yang paling dicintai Śrī Viṣṇu. Para brāhmaṇa dan semua yang ingin memutus belenggu saṃsāra hendaknya senantiasa mengamalkannya.

ekādaśīEkādaśī (the 11th lunar day)
ekādaśī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootekādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
mahā-puṇyāvery holy
mahā-puṇyā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahā + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: 'greatly meritorious' qualifying ekādaśī
viṣṇoḥof Viṣṇu
viṣṇoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; possession)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
priyatamāmost dear
priyatamā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpriyatama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular; superlative sense 'most dear' qualifying tithiḥ
tithiḥlunar day
tithiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottithi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
saṃsevyāshould be observed
saṃsevyā:
Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण; obligation)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-sev (सेव्) (धातु)
FormGerundive/Obligatory participle (तव्यत्), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective agreeing with ekādaśī/tithiḥ: 'to be observed/served'
sarvathāin every way / always
sarvathā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsarvathā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
vipraiḥby brāhmaṇas
vipraiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; agent in passive/gerundive construction)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
saṃsāra-cheda-lipsubhiḥby those desiring to cut off saṃsāra
saṃsāra-cheda-lipsubhiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsaṃsāra + cheda + lipsu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural; adjective qualifying vipraiḥ; tatpuruṣa chain: 'desirous (lipsu) of cutting (cheda) saṃsāra'

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata: Ekādaśī-vrata

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

V
Vishnu
E
Ekadashi

FAQs

It declares Ekādaśī as Viṣṇu’s most beloved tithi and presents its observance as a direct aid for severing saṃsāra—worldly bondage—thereby linking ritual discipline with liberation-oriented dharma.

By calling Ekādaśī “to be served/observed” (saṃsevyā) as dear to Viṣṇu, the verse frames devotion as loving alignment with what pleases the Lord—regular vow-observance becomes an act of bhakti that purifies and redirects life toward Viṣṇu.

It relies on calendrical discipline centered on the tithi system (lunar day reckoning), a practical ritual application closely connected with Jyotiṣa (Vedic astronomy/astrology) for correctly identifying Ekādaśī for vrata practice.