Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

स पौंडरीकयज्ञस्य फलमष्टगुणं लभेत् । पौषमासे सिते पक्षे द्वादश्यां समुपोषितः ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

sa pauṃḍarīkayajñasya phalamaṣṭaguṇaṃ labhet | pauṣamāse site pakṣe dvādaśyāṃ samupoṣitaḥ || 24 ||

Translation

パウシャ月（Pauṣa）の白分（明半月）のドヴァーダシー（第十二日）に完全な断食を守る者は、パウṇḍarīka祭の功徳を八倍にして得る。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पौण्डरीक-यज्ञस्य: of the Pauṇḍarīka sacrifice
• पौण्डरीक-यज्ञस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थः: ‘पौण्डरीकः यज्ञः’ (name of a sacrifice)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अष्ट-गुणम्: eightfold
• अष्ट-गुणम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-सम्बन्धी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical): ‘अष्टौ गुणाः यस्य/अष्टगुणम्’

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पौष-मासे: in the month of Pauṣa
• पौष-मासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौष (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘पौषस्य मासः’

• सिते: bright (white)
• सिते: Adhikarana-anvaya (अधिकरण-सम्बन्धी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• पक्षे: fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सम्-उपोषितः: having fasted
• सम्-उपोषितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘having fasted/one who has observed a fast’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvādaśī-upavāsa (Vaiṣṇava fasting observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pauṇḍarīka-yajña

FAQs

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

It elevates a time-specific vrata (fast on Pauṣa śukla Dvādaśī) as a powerful dharmic act, declaring that disciplined upavāsa can yield extraordinary puṇya—eight times the fruit of the Pauṇḍarīka yajña.

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

By valuing fasting on an auspicious tithi, the verse frames devotion as accessible through regulated observance (vrata) and self-restraint, a common Narada Purana mode of expressing Vishnu-oriented bhakti via daily and calendrical disciplines.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical discipline—tithi (Dvādaśī), pakṣa (bright fortnight), and māsa (Pauṣa)—which aligns with Jyotiṣa-style time-reckoning used to time vratas and ritual observances.