Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

The Account of the Ekādaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

सनातन उवाच । एकादश्यां तु दलयोर्निराहारः समाहितः । नानापुष्पैर्मुने कृत्वा विचित्रं मण्डपं शुभम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanātana uvāca | ekādaśyāṃ tu dalayornirāhāraḥ samāhitaḥ | nānāpuṣpairmune kṛtvā vicitraṃ maṇḍapaṃ śubham || 1 ||

Translation

സനാതനൻ പറഞ്ഞു— ഹേ മുനേ! ഏകാദശിയിൽ സമാഹിതചിത്തനായി നിരാഹാരനായി ഇരിക്കണം; പിന്നെ നാനാവിധ പുഷ്പങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കരിച്ച് ശുഭവും വിചിത്രവുമായ മണ്ഡപം ഒരുക്കണം.

Word by Word

• सनातनः: Sanātana
• सनातनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) उपसर्गः उ- (उवाच इति लिट्-रूप)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एकादश्याम्: on Ekādaśī
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयबोधक (particle: but/indeed)

• दलयोः: of the two fortnights (halves of the month)
• दलयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन

• निराहारः: fasting (without food)
• निराहारः: Karta (कर्ता; कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक-तत्पुरुष (निः + आहारः = आहारवर्जितः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• समाहितः: composed, attentive
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता; कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (collected/attentive)

• नानापुष्पैः: with various flowers
• नानापुष्पैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (नानाविधानि पुष्पाणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having made/done’

• विचित्रम्: variegated, beautiful
• विचित्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मण्डपम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• मण्डपम्: pavilion
• मण्डपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे नपुंसकवत्); द्वितीया विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मण्डपम्’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sanātana (one of the Sanatkumāra brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekādaśī-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It frames Ekādaśī as a disciplined vrata: fasting (nirāhāra) and mental composure (samāhita) combined with sacred preparation (a flower-adorned maṇḍapa) to make worship auspicious and focused.

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

By prescribing a devotional environment—an ornate, auspicious pavilion with flowers—along with fasting and concentration, the verse emphasizes offering one’s body, mind, and resources in reverent service, a core expression of bhakti in Narada Purana practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual discipline tied to the lunar calendar (tithi-based observance of Ekādaśī), aligning practice with traditional time-reckoning (Jyotiṣa-oriented vrata timing) and orderly ritual setup (kalpa-style procedure).