Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

कार्पासं तु चतुर्हस्तं सार्द्ध वस्त्रं हि गोपतेः । पूजांते प्रीतये देयं व्रतमेतच्छुभावहम् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

kārpāsaṃ tu caturhastaṃ sārddha vastraṃ hi gopateḥ | pūjāṃte prītaye deyaṃ vratametacchubhāvaham || 30 ||

Translation

ഗോപതിയുടെ പ്രീതിക്കായി പൂജാന്തത്തിൽ നാല് ഹസ്തം അളവുള്ള പരുത്തിവസ്ത്രം, യോജ്യമായ വസ്ത്രത്തോടുകൂടി, സമർപ്പിക്കണം. ഈ വ്രതം ശുഭഫലദായകം.

Word by Word

• कार्पासम्: cotton (cloth)
• कार्पासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• चतुर्-हस्तम्: four-cubit (in length)
• चतुर्-हस्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: चत्वारः हस्ताः प्रमाणं यस्य (four cubits long) विशेषणम् (कार्पासम्/वस्त्रम्)

• स-अर्धम्: and a half (extra)
• स-अर्धम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय ‘with’) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; क्रियाविशेषण/परिमाणार्थ (with a half; ‘and a half’)

• वस्त्रम्: cloth/garment
• वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कारण/निश्चयार्थक

• गो-पतेः: of Gopati (lord of cows)
• गो-पतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गवां पतिः (lord of cows; epithet)

• पूजा-अन्ते: at the end of the worship
• पूजा-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पूजायाः अन्ते (at the end of worship)

• प्रीतये: for (his) satisfaction
• प्रीतये: Sampradana/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for pleasing)

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (तव्यत्/यत्; कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्/तव्यत्-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be given’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय/आज्ञार्थ

• व्रतम्: this vow
• व्रतम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (व्रतम्)

• शुभ-आवहम्: bringing auspiciousness
• शुभ-आवहम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (प्रातिपदिक; √वह्-आ + णिच्/घञ्-प्राय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: शुभं आवहति इति (bringing auspiciousness) विशेषणम् (व्रतम्)

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual/vow procedure in Purva Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Avyaṅga-vrata (continued context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gopati
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that a vrata becomes spiritually fruitful when worship is concluded with dāna (charitable offering), here specifically vastra-dāna to Gopati, emphasizing devotion expressed through disciplined ritual and generosity.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical service: pleasing the Lord (prītaye) through a respectful offering at the end of pūjā, indicating that love and reverence are embodied in tangible acts, not only inner sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (kalpa-style practice) is implied: the verse specifies timing (pūjā-ante) and the measurable standard (catur-hasta), reflecting the precision typical of Vedic ritual instruction.