Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

व्रतांते दशविप्रेभ्यः प्रत्येकं दश पूरिकाः । दद्यादेव दशाब्दं तु कृत्वा व्रतमनुत्तमम् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

vratāṃte daśaviprebhyaḥ pratyekaṃ daśa pūrikāḥ | dadyādeva daśābdaṃ tu kṛtvā vratamanuttamam || 25 ||

Translation

വ്രതാന്തത്തിൽ പത്ത് ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു—ഓരോരുത്തർക്കും പത്ത് പൂരികകൾ—ദാനം നൽകണം. ഈ അനുത്തമ വ്രതം നിർവഹിച്ചു, തീർച്ചയായും പത്ത് വർഷം ഇങ്ങനെ തന്നെ ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• व्रत-अन्ते: at the end of the vow
• व्रत-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (व्रतस्य अन्तः)

• दश-विप्रेभ्यः: to ten brāhmaṇas
• दश-विप्रेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान) बहुवचनरूपम् used for dative sense in some traditions; intended अर्थः: चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (सम्प्रदान) 'to ten brāhmaṇas'; द्विगु-समासः (दश विप्राः)

• प्रत्येकम्: to each (one)
• प्रत्येकम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् (adverb)

• दश: ten
• दश: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण; (agreeing with पूरिकाः) स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे

• पूरिकाः: pūrikās (cakes)
• पूरिकाः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) बहुवचन (intended object of giving)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• दश-अब्दम्: for ten years
• दश-अब्दम्: अधिकरण (कालपरिमाण/Time-span)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश वर्षाणि) used as duration/extent

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having done)

• व्रतम्: the vow
• व्रतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं व्रतम्

Speaker

Narada (as instructor within the Narada Purana’s vrata-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kṛṣṇa-janmāṣṭamī vrata (contextual)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that a vow (vrata) becomes spiritually complete through proper conclusion (vratānta) marked by dāna—charitable giving to worthy recipients—thereby converting personal austerity into shared merit (puṇya).

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

While the verse is primarily ritual-focused, it supports bhakti by prescribing a disciplined, repeated observance (for ten years) and a giving-based conclusion, reinforcing humility, service, and offering-oriented living that typically accompanies devotional vows.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) in practice—specifically vrata-vidhi and dāna-niyama: how to conclude an observance, whom to give to (vipras), and the quantified form of the gift (ten pūrikās each).