Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

कृष्णजन्माष्टमी चेयं स्मृता पापहरा नृणाम् । केवलेनोपवासेन तस्मिञ्जन्मदिने हरेः ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

kṛṣṇajanmāṣṭamī ceyaṃ smṛtā pāpaharā nṛṇām | kevalenopavāsena tasmiñjanmadine hareḥ || 27 ||

Translation

ഈ കൃഷ്ണജന്മാഷ്ടമി മനുഷ്യരുടെ പാപം ഹരിക്കുന്നതെന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. ഹരിയുടെ ആ ജന്മദിനത്തിൽ വെറും ഉപവാസം ചെയ്താലും പാപം നശിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• कृष्ण-जन्म-अष्टमी: Krishna’s Janmāṣṭamī (eighth lunar day of His birth)
• कृष्ण-जन्म-अष्टमी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—'the eighth (tithi) of Krishna's birth'

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

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्मृता: is remembered/declared
• स्मृता: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भावे (past passive participle) used predicatively; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'is remembered/considered'

• पाप-हरा: sin-destroying
• पाप-हरा: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (हृ धातु से अच्/ण्वुल्-आधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'sin-removing' qualifying (कृष्णजन्माष्टमी/इयम्)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• केवलेन: by mere/only
• केवलेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषणं उपवासेन

• उपवासेन: fasting
• उपवासेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: on that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• जन्म-दिने: on the birthday (birth-day)
• जन्म-दिने: अधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्म (प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'day of birth'

• हरेः: of Hari (Vishnu/Krishna)
• हरेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kṛṣṇa-janmāṣṭamī vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It elevates Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī as a pāpaharā (sin-destroying) observance, emphasizing that even the single practice of fasting on Hari’s birth-day carries purificatory merit.

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

By focusing devotion on Hari’s janmadina, it presents bhakti as accessible through a simple vrata—upavāsa offered with remembrance of Kṛṣṇa—rather than requiring complex rites.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual discipline (vrata/upavāsa) tied to calendrical observance (tithi-based festival timing), aligning practice with traditional dharma frameworks used in jyotiṣa-informed festival reckoning.