Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25
The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata
अशक्तः पुरेतां तु नमस्कृत्य विसर्जयेत् । पंचाब्दं वादशाब्दं वा षोडशाब्दमथापि वा ॥ २५ ॥
aśaktaḥ puretāṃ tu namaskṛtya visarjayet | paṃcābdaṃ vādaśābdaṃ vā ṣoḍaśābdamathāpi vā || 25 ||
もし（全き守戒を）保てぬ者は、恭しく礼拝してのち、しかるべき作法によりそれを結願し、終えて退けるべきである。五年の後でも、十年の後でも、あるいは十六年の後であってもよい。
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that dharma is to be practiced with sincerity and capacity; when one cannot continue a long observance, one should end it respectfully with namaskāra and proper visarjana rather than abandoning it carelessly.
By emphasizing humility and reverence—bowing before concluding—the verse frames even ritual discipline as an offering done with devotion, not as a rigid burden.
It reflects ritual procedure (kalpa-prayoga) principles: vows have prescribed commencements and conclusions, and a formal termination (visarjana) is part of correct observance when duration must be shortened.