Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

तां तत्र पूजयेत्स्नात्वा प्रत्यूषे विमले जले । गंधपुष्पाक्षताद्यैश्च सर्वैरेवोपचारकैः ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

tāṃ tatra pūjayetsnātvā pratyūṣe vimale jale | gaṃdhapuṣpākṣatādyaiśca sarvairevopacārakaiḥ || 12 ||

Translation

清らかで汚れなき水にて黎明に沐浴したのち、その場において御母を礼拝し、香、花、砕けぬ米粒（アクシャタ）など、あらゆる供養の作法をもって仕えよ。

Word by Word

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā-vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; sarvanāma

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; deśa-adverb (तत्र)

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (पूज्)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (स्ना) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त), pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action)

• pratyūṣe: at dawn
• pratyūṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratyūṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī-vibhakti (7th), Ekavacana; kāla-adhikaraṇa

• vimale: pure/clear
• vimale: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī-vibhakti, Ekavacana; jala-viśeṣaṇa

• jale: in water
• jale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī-vibhakti (7th), Ekavacana

• gandha-puṣpa-akṣata-ādyaiḥ: with perfumes, flowers, unbroken rice, etc.
• gandha-puṣpa-akṣata-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣata (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (upacāraka understood), Tṛtīyā-vibhakti (3rd), Bahuvacana; karaṇa (instrument)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (च)

• sarvaiḥ: with all
• sarvaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā-vibhakti, Bahuvacana; upacāraka-viśeṣaṇa

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphasis particle (एव)

• upacārakaiḥ: with offerings/attendances
• upacārakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā-vibhakti (3rd), Bahuvacana; karaṇa

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Narada Purana dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Gaṅgā-vrata (contextual)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that purity (bathing in clean water) and timeliness (worship at dawn) support effective devotion, and that reverent upacāras (ritual services) express inner bhakti through disciplined action.

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

Bhakti is shown as embodied devotion: bathing, approaching the deity with respect, and offering simple auspicious items like fragrance, flowers, and akṣata as loving services (upacāras) rather than mere formality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual discipline aligned with traditional kalpa-style practice: timing (pratyūṣa), purity rules for snāna, and the standard upacāra framework used in pūjā procedures.