Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

तदग्रे भोजयेद्विप्रान्पायसैर्द्वादशैव च । सौवर्णी दक्षिणां दत्वा विष्णुप्रीतिकरो भवेत् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

tadagre bhojayedviprānpāyasairdvādaśaiva ca | sauvarṇī dakṣiṇāṃ datvā viṣṇuprītikaro bhavet || 24 ||

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം പന്ത്രണ്ട് അളവുള്ള പായസം (ക്ഷീരം)കൊണ്ട് ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ ഭോജിപ്പിക്കണം; സ്വർണ്ണദക്ഷിണ നൽകി ശ്രീവിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ പ്രീതിക്ക് കാരണമാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• तत्: there/that
• तत्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially with अग्रे

• अग्रे: in front/before
• अग्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) used as adverb of place/time; ‘in front/before’

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [Causative/णिच्: भोजय-]
• Form: Causative (णिच्), Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• पायसैः: with rice-pudding/sweet milk-food
• पायसैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्याविशेषण), Indeclinable-stem usage; qualifying पायसैः = ‘twelve (kinds/portions)’

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) of emphasis

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• सौवर्णी: golden (made of gold)
• सौवर्णी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying दक्षिणाम्

• दक्षिणाम्: gift/fee (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• दत्वा: having given
• दत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having given’

• विष्णुप्रीतिकरः: pleasing to Vishnu
• विष्णुप्रीतिकरः: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa: ‘विष्णोः प्रीतिः’ (genitive) + कर = ‘causing Vishnu’s pleasure’

• भवेत्: would be/should become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahmanas (Vipras)

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Viṣṇu is concretely expressed through dharmic acts—feeding learned brāhmaṇas (anna-dāna) and giving dakṣiṇā—done with the intent of pleasing the Lord.

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

Bhakti is shown as seva-oriented: honoring Viṣṇu by honoring His devotees and upholders of Vedic learning, and by offering resources (food and dakṣiṇā) with reverence and proper ritual order.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure): the sequence of post-rite feeding (vipra-bhojana), the prescribed count (twelve), and the rule of dakṣiṇā as an integral completion of a vrata/rite.