Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Tithi-Nirṇaya for Vratas: Ekādaśī Rules, Saṅkrānti Punya-kāla, Eclipse Observances, and Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

आदित्यग्रहणे प्राप्ते पूर्वयामत्रये तथा । नाद्याद्वै यदि भुंजीत सुरापेन समो भवेत् ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

ādityagrahaṇe prāpte pūrvayāmatraye tathā | nādyādvai yadi bhuṃjīta surāpena samo bhavet || 57 ||

Translation

日食が起こる時—またその前の三つの時刻（夜警）においても—食してはならない。もし食すれば、酒を飲む者と同等となる。

Word by Word

• आदित्य-ग्रहणे: at the solar eclipse
• आदित्य-ग्रहणे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आदित्यस्य ग्रहणम्) — Locative: “at the solar eclipse”

• प्राप्ते: having occurred; when it occurs
• प्राप्ते: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले — “when (it) has occurred/arrived” (agreeing with ग्रहणे)

• पूर्व-याम-त्रये: in the three earlier watches (of the day/night)
• पूर्व-याम-त्रये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + याम (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पूर्वेषु यामेषु त्रयम्) — Locative: “in the three earlier watches”

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Relation/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण — “likewise/also”

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• अद्याद्: should eat
• अद्याद्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष? actually 3rd person singular?; परस्मैपद, एकवचन; निषेधेन सह — “should eat” (prohibitive sense with न)

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional conjunction)

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष? actually 3rd person singular, परस्मैपद, एकवचन — “should eat/partake”

• सुरा-पेन: with a liquor-drinker
• सुरा-पेन: सहकारक/तुल्ययोग (Instrument/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरा (प्रातिपदिक) + प (धातु) → पान/पेय?; पेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सुरां पिबतीति/सुरापः; तेन) — Instrumental: “with a drinker of liquor”

• समः: equal
• समः: प्रेडिकेट (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — predicative adjective

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष? actually 3rd person singular, परस्मैपद, एकवचन — “would become”

Speaker

Narada (teaching dharma/vrata rules in eclipse context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Aditya (Sun)

FAQs

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

It frames eclipse-time discipline as a strong purification rule: eating during the eclipse window is treated as a grave transgression, pushing the practitioner toward fasting, restraint, and heightened ritual purity.

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

By prescribing self-restraint during sacred astronomical events, it supports bhakti through niyama (disciplined conduct), making the devotee’s body and mind fit for japa, worship, and remembrance of the Divine during grahaṇa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy) is implied through the timing rule—“pūrva-yāma-traya” and “āditya-grahaṇa”—showing how ritual conduct is scheduled according to eclipse periods.