Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

The Account of the Ekādaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

नभस्यकृष्णैकादश्यामजाख्यां समुपोष्य वै । अर्चेदुर्पेंद्रं द्वादश्यामुपचारैः पृथग्विधैः ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

nabhasyakṛṣṇaikādaśyāmajākhyāṃ samupoṣya vai | arcedurpeṃdraṃ dvādaśyāmupacāraiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ || 34 ||

Translation

നഭസ്യ മാസത്തിലെ കൃഷ്ണപക്ഷ ‘അജാ’ എന്ന ഏകാദശിയിൽ വിധിപൂർവ്വം ഉപവസിച്ച്, ദ്വാദശിയിൽ വ്യത്യസ്തവിധമായ നാനാ ഉപചാരങ്ങളാൽ ഉപേന്ദ്രപ്രഭുവിനെ അർച്ചിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• नभस्यकृष्णैकादश्याम्: on the Kṛṣṇa-ekādaśī of Nabhas (Bhādrapada)
• नभस्यकृष्णैकादश्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्य + कृष्ण + एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समास: नभस्यस्य (genitive) + कृष्णा (dark fortnight) + एकादशी (11th day)

• अजाख्याम्: called ‘Ajā’
• अजाख्याम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजा + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifies implied ‘एकादशीम्’); समास: अजा-आख्या ‘named Ajā’

• समुपोष्य: having fasted
• समुपोष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + वस्/उपवस् (धातु: उपवासे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having fasted/observed a fast’

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• अर्चेत्: should worship
• अर्चेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• उर्पेन्द्रम्: Urpendra (Vishnu)
• उर्पेन्द्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘अर्चेत्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्/उरु + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समास: उरु-इन्द्र (great Indra) = Vishnu

• द्वादश्याम्: on the Dvādaśī
• द्वादश्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपचारैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पृथग्विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथग्विधैः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथक् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifies ‘उपचारैः’); समास: पृथक्-विध ‘of various kinds’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/ritual instruction context, traditionally within dialogue with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ajā Ekādaśī (Nabhasya-kṛṣṇa-ekādaśī)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Upendra
• Vishnu
• Ekadashi
• Dvadashi
• Nabhasya (Bhadrapada)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Ekādaśī fast (specifically Ajā in the dark fortnight of Nabhasya) culminates in Dvādaśī worship of Vishnu (Upendra), showing that restraint (upavāsa) is completed by devotion expressed through pūjā.

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

Bhakti is presented as disciplined devotion: fasting on Ekādaśī as self-control and purification, followed by loving service to Vishnu on Dvādaśī through multiple upacāras (ritual attentions), emphasizing active worship rather than mere abstinence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Calendar-based ritual timing is highlighted—observing the tithi (Ekādaśī/Dvādaśī) within a named lunar month (Nabhasya), reflecting applied jyotiṣa-style calendrical reckoning used for vrata observance.