Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

आकृतौ द्वौ न्यसेत्पत्रे नैर्ऋते मुनिसत्तम । काद्रवेयौ महानागौ पश्चिमे कृतचारकौ ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

ākṛtau dvau nyasetpatre nairṛte munisattama | kādraveyau mahānāgau paścime kṛtacārakau || 5 ||

Translation

ഹേ മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, നൈഋത്യ (തെക്ക്-പടിഞ്ഞാറ്) ദളത്തിൽ രണ്ടു ആകൃതികളെ സ്ഥാപിക്കണം; പടിഞ്ഞാറൻ ദളത്തിൽ ‘കൃതചാരക’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധമായ കാദ്രവേയ മഹാനാഗദ്വയത്തെ വിന്യസിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• आकृतौ: two forms/figures (Ākṛti)
• आकृतौ: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु; √न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पत्रे: on the petal
• पत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नैर्ऋते: in the southwest
• नैर्ऋते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैर्ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (दिशा)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मुनीनां सत्तमः)

• काद्रवेयौ: two Kādraveyas (sons of Kadru)
• काद्रवेयौ: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काद्रवेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• महानागौ: two great serpents
• महानागौ: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to काद्रवेयौ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (महान्तौ नागौ)

• पश्चिमे: in the west
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (दिशा)

• कृतचारकौ: having ‘kṛta-cāraka’ (epithet)
• कृतचारकौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of काद्रवेयौ/महानागौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + चारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (कृतं चारकं ययोः/कृतचारक-विशेषण)

Speaker

Narada (instructing a sage interlocutor, within the Purāṇic instructional dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Saptamī-vrata (continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kadrū
• Nāgas (serpent beings)
• Kādraveya Nāgas
• Kṛtacāraka

FAQs

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

It encodes a precise ritual mapping of sacred beings (nāgas) to directions, reflecting the Purāṇic idea that protection and auspiciousness arise when a rite is performed with correct nyāsa (placement) and dik (directional) order.

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

While not a direct bhakti teaching, it supports devotional practice indirectly: careful ritual placement is presented as a disciplined offering-act, aligning the devotee’s action with sacred order as part of worship and vow-based observances.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) and dik-viniyoga (directional assignment) used in ceremonial layouts—practical know-how for constructing a rite with correct placements and names.