Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वायव्य यातुधानौ द्वौ उत्तरे च ऋषिद्वयम् । ऐशान्ये विन्यसेत्पत्पे ग्रहमेको द्विजोत्तम ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

vāyavya yātudhānau dvau uttare ca ṛṣidvayam | aiśānye vinyasetpatpe grahameko dvijottama || 6 ||

Translation

വായവ്യ ദിക്കിൽ രണ്ട് യാതുധാനന്മാരെ സ്ഥാപിക്കുകയും, ഉത്തരത്തിൽ രണ്ട് ഋഷികളുടെ യുഗ്മം വെക്കുകയും വേണം. ഐശാന്യത്തിൽ പദ്മ-യന്ത്രത്തിൽ ഒരു ഗ്രഹത്തെ മാത്രം സ്ഥാപിക്ക, ഹേ ദ്വിജോത്തമാ।

Word by Word

• वायव्ये: in the north-west (vāyavya quarter)
• वायव्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक (locative of place)

• यातुधानौ: two rākṣasas/demons
• यातुधानौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातुधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: विशेषण (Qualifier of यातुधानौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• उत्तरे: in the north
• उत्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ऋषिद्वयम्: a pair of sages
• ऋषिद्वयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगुसमास (two sages)

• ऐशान्ये: in the north-east (aiśānya quarter)
• ऐशान्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐशान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• विन्यसेत्: should place/arrange
• विन्यसेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-√अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पद्मे: in/on the lotus (diagram)
• पद्मे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; आधार/स्थान

• ग्रहम्: a ग्रह (planetary deity)
• ग्रहम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ग्रहम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Yātudhāna
• Ṛṣi
• Graha
• Īśāna (Aiśānya direction)

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is not only devotional but also ordered: beings and forces are ritually placed by direction on a lotus-maṇḍala so the rite becomes harmonized and protected.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through disciplined upacāra—serving the deity by constructing a correct sacred space (maṇḍala) where every placement supports focused remembrance and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science allied to Vedāṅga concerns—directional/maṇḍala arrangement and graha-related placement (astral considerations used in ritual procedure).