Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

मार्गस्य सितसप्तम्यां मित्रव्रतमुदाहृतम् । यद्विष्णोर्दक्षिणं नेत्रं तदेव कृतवानिह ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

mārgasya sitasaptamyāṃ mitravratamudāhṛtam | yadviṣṇordakṣiṇaṃ netraṃ tadeva kṛtavāniha || 48 ||

Translation

മാർഗശീർഷ മാസത്തിലെ ശുക്ല സപ്തമിയിൽ ‘മിത്രവ്രതം’ എന്നു പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു; വിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ ദക്ഷിണ നേത്രമായത്—അതുതന്നെ ഇവിടെ ഇതിന്റെ പവിത്ര തത്ത്വമായി സ്ഥാപിതമാണ്।

Word by Word

• मार्गस्य: of Mārgaśīrṣa (month)
• मार्गस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• सित-सप्तम्याम्: on the bright seventh (tithi)
• सित-सप्तम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः: ‘सिता सप्तमी’ (bright fortnight’s seventh)

• मित्र-व्रतम्: the vow of Mitra
• मित्र-व्रतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मित्रस्य व्रतम्)

• उदाहृतम्: is declared
• उदाहृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘is declared/said’

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun: that which)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• दक्षिणम्: right
• दक्षिणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘नेत्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नेत्रम्: eye
• नेत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र प्रथमा (that)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic: indeed/only)

• कृतवान्: has done
• कृतवान्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतुँ-प्रत्ययान्तः (perfect participle/agentive past); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (has done)

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-Kala (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (here/in this context)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mitra-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Mārgaśīrṣa
• Mitra-vrata

FAQs

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

It assigns a specific tithi (Śukla Saptamī in Mārgaśīrṣa) to a named vow (Mitra-vrata) and links the observance to Viṣṇu through a sacred symbol—His right eye—emphasizing devotion expressed via calendrical discipline.

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

Bhakti is shown as structured worship: observing a vrata at an appointed time and meditating on Viṣṇu through a concrete divine association (the ‘right eye’), turning ritual timing into focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and reverence (pūjā).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics: the month (Mārgaśīrṣa) and tithi (bright Saptamī) determine the proper timing for the vrata, illustrating tithi-based ritual scheduling found across Purāṇic dharma sections.