Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

स्नपनं कारयेत्तासाः जलैः पञ्चामृतैस्तथा । उपचारैः षोडशभिः पूजयित्वा विधानतः ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

snapanaṃ kārayettāsāḥ jalaiḥ pañcāmṛtaistathā | upacāraiḥ ṣoḍaśabhiḥ pūjayitvā vidhānataḥ || 60 ||

Translation

അവയ്ക്ക് ജലത്താലും പഞ്ചാമൃതത്താലും സ്നപനം (അഭിഷേകം) നടത്തണം. തുടർന്ന് വിധിപ്രകാരം ഷോഡശോപചാരങ്ങളാൽ പൂജിച്ച് കർമ്മം സമാപിപ്പിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• स्नपनम्: bathing/ablution
• स्नपनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कारयेत्: should have (it) performed
• कारयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कारय् (णिजन्त-धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; causative ‘should cause to be done’

• तासाः: them (those images)
• तासाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• जलैः: with waters
• जलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पञ्च-अमृतैः: with the five nectars (pañcāmṛta)
• पञ्च-अमृतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘पञ्चान्य् अमृतानि’ (five nectars)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/क्रियाविशेषण ‘also/likewise’

• उपचारैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• षोडशभिः: with sixteen
• षोडशभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (agreeing with उपचारैः)

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having worshipped’

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed procedure
• विधानतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण ‘according to rule/ordinance’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a procedural/vidhi style within the Narada Purana’s instructional dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Pañcāmṛta
• Ṣoḍaśopacāra

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that devotion is strengthened through disciplined worship—purifying the deity’s form with abhiṣeka (snapana) and honoring it with complete, rule-based offerings (ṣoḍaśopacāra).

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

Bhakti is expressed here as reverent service: bathing the worshipped form and offering the traditional sixteen services with care, showing loving attention guided by scriptural injunction (vidhi).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Kalpa (ritual procedure): the correct sequence and standards for abhiṣeka using water and pañcāmṛta, followed by ṣoḍaśopacāra pūjā performed according to vidhi.