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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

वर्षं नयेद्व्रतांते तु प्रतिमा द्वादशापि च । हैमीः संपूज्य विधिना भोजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान् ॥ ५७ ॥

varṣaṃ nayedvratāṃte tu pratimā dvādaśāpi ca | haimīḥ saṃpūjya vidhinā bhojayitvā dvijottamān || 57 ||

ഒരു വർഷം മുഴുവൻ വ്രതം തുടരുക; വ്രതാന്ത്യത്തിൽ പന്ത്രണ്ട് സ്വർണ്ണപ്രതിമകൾ വിധിപൂർവ്വം പൂജിച്ച്, ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ദ്വിജന്മാർക്ക് (ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്ക്) ഭോജനം നൽകണം.

वर्षम्(for) a year
वर्षम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन
नयेत्should carry on/observe
नयेत्:
क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनी (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
व्रत-अन्तेat the end of the vow
व्रत-अन्ते:
अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootव्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (व्रतस्य अन्ते)
तुthen/indeed
तु:
सम्बन्ध (Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle)
प्रतिमाःimages/idols
प्रतिमाः:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन
द्वादशtwelve
द्वादश:
विशेषण (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्याशब्दः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे (agreeing with प्रतिमाः)
अपिalso
अपि:
सम्बन्ध (Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (also)
and
:
सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय (conjunction)
हैमीःgolden
हैमीः:
विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootहैम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; प्रतिमाः इति विशेषणम्
सम्पूज्यhaving worshipped well
सम्पूज्य:
पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootपूज् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
Formल्यप् (gerund), अव्ययभावेन; ‘having duly worshipped’
विधिनाaccording to the prescribed rite
विधिना:
करण (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootविधि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन
भोजयित्वाhaving fed
भोजयित्वा:
पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु) (causative: भोजय-)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) causative; ‘having fed’
द्विज-उत्तमान्excellent brāhmaṇas (best twice-born)
द्विज-उत्तमान्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (उत्तमाः द्विजाः)

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada Purana dialogue frame)

Vrata: Dvādaśa-Āditya-vrata

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

D
Dvija (Brahmanas)

FAQs

It teaches that a vow is perfected not only by personal restraint over time (a full year) but also by a disciplined concluding rite—formal worship and charitable feeding—so the merit becomes complete (pūrṇa) and socially beneficial.

Bhakti here is expressed through regulated worship (vidhinā sampūjya) and service to sacred persons (feeding dvijottamas), showing devotion as both ritual reverence and compassionate offering.

It emphasizes Kalpa (ritual procedure): performing vrata for a fixed duration, concluding with prescribed pratimā-pūjā and brāhmaṇa-bhojana as part of correct vrata-vidhi.