Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Ekādaśī Vrata-Vidhi and the Galava–Bhadrashīla Itihāsa

Dharmakīrti before Yama

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां निराहारः स्थित्वाद्याहं परेऽहनि । भोक्ष्यामि पुण्डरीकाक्ष शरणं मे भवाच्युत ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ nirāhāraḥ sthitvādyāhaṃ pare'hani | bhokṣyāmi puṇḍarīkākṣa śaraṇaṃ me bhavācyuta || 15 ||

Translation

「エーカーダシーにて無食を守り、今日、翌日に食をいただきます。蓮華の眼の主よ、アチュタよ、どうか我が帰依処となり給え。」

Word by Word

• ekādaśyām: on Ekādaśī
• ekādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• nirāhāraḥ: fasting; without food
• nirāhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; nir + āhāra

• sthitvā: having remained (so)
• sthitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having remained/observed

• adya: today
• adya: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (कालवाचक)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative, Singular

• pare: on the next
• pare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; qualifying ‘ahani’

• ahani: day
• ahani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• bhokṣyāmi: I will eat
• bhokṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु, भुङ्क्ते)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• puṇḍarīka-akṣa: O lotus-eyed one
• puṇḍarīka-akṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇḍarīka (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; epithet: ‘lotus-eyed’

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Pratijñā/Predicative (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; here predicative nominative

• me: my; for me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th), Singular (enclitic)

• bhava: be (become)
• bhava: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• acyuta: O Acyuta
• acyuta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

A devotee/vratin (speaker within the vrata instruction context, as transmitted in the Narada Purana dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekadashi

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It frames Ekādaśī fasting as an act of surrender: the vratin observes nirāhāra and explicitly takes refuge in Viṣṇu (Puṇḍarīkākṣa/Acyuta), making the vow devotional rather than merely dietary.

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

Bhakti is shown through śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge): the devotee addresses the Lord by intimate divine epithets and relies on Him as protector while completing the vrata and breaking it properly on the next day.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical takeaway is ritual timing (tithi-based discipline): fasting on Ekādaśī and eating on the following day (Dvādaśī), reflecting calendrical/astronomical awareness used in vrata observance.