Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

तत्स्थं द्विजातये दत्त्वा मोदते दिवि देववत् । माघकृष्णचतुर्द्दश्यां यमतर्पणमीरितम् ॥ ६६ ॥

Transliteration

tatsthaṃ dvijātaye dattvā modate divi devavat | māghakṛṣṇacaturddaśyāṃ yamatarpaṇamīritam || 66 ||

Translation

ആ ദാനം ദ്വിജനു നൽകി എങ്കിൽ മനുഷ്യൻ സ്വർഗത്തിൽ ദേവനെപ്പോലെ ആനന്ദിക്കുന്നു. മാഘമാസത്തിലെ കൃഷ്ണപക്ഷ ചതുര്ദശിയിൽ ചെയ്യേണ്ടതായ യമ-തർപ്പണമെന്നു ഇത് പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तत्-स्थम्: that (offering) placed there
• तत्-स्थम्: कर्म (Karma/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् स्थम् = ‘therein placed/that which is there’)

• द्विजातये: to a twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजातये: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: दा; अर्थे: पूर्वकर्म (having given)

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: विधेयक्रिया (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (निपातित रूप: दिवि)

• देववत्: like a god
• देववत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverbial), तद्धितान्त ‘-वत्’ = ‘like/as’

• माघ-कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha
• माघ-कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (माघस्य कृष्णपक्षस्य चतुर्दशी)

• यम-तर्पणम्: the libation/oblation to Yama
• यम-तर्पणम्: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/Subject matter)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (यमस्य तर्पणम्)

• ईरितम्: is declared
• ईरितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृत), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘said/declared’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in dialogue, traditionally to Sanatkumara and the sages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Yama-tarpaṇa (observance/rite)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dvijati (Brahmana)

FAQs

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

It teaches that properly giving the prescribed offering to a qualified dvija as part of Yama-tarpaṇa on Māgha kṛṣṇa caturdaśī yields svarga-phala—heavenly joy—indicating the purifying and merit-producing power of correctly timed rites and dāna.

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

While primarily a dharma-ritual verse, it supports bhakti in practice by stressing faithful observance (śraddhā) and offering (dāna/tarpaṇa) according to śāstra—disciplines that cultivate surrender, gratitude, and reverence toward divine order (including Yama as a cosmic regulator).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa-style calendrical discipline: the rite is fixed to a specific tithi—Māgha month, kṛṣṇa pakṣa, caturdaśī—showing how ritual efficacy is linked to precise lunar-day observance.