Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे द्वादश्यां जलशायिनम् । उपोषितोऽर्चयेत्सम्यङ् नरः श्रद्धासमन्वितः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

mārgaśīrṣe site pakṣe dvādaśyāṃ jalaśāyinam | upoṣito'rcayetsamyaṅ naraḥ śraddhāsamanvitaḥ || 14 ||

Translation

മാർഗശീർഷ മാസത്തിലെ ശുക്ലപക്ഷ ദ്വാദശിയിൽ ഉപവാസം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ച്, ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ മനുഷ്യൻ ജലശായിയായ ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണുവിനെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം ആരാധിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• मार्गशीर्षे: in (the month of) Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन; मास-नाम (in the month Mārgaśīrṣa)

• सिते: in the bright (white)
• सिते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies पक्षे)

• पक्षे: fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन; तिथि-नाम

• जल-शायिनम्: the one who lies on the waters (Vishnu)
• जल-शायिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—जलशायी = जले शयिते (locative-tatpurusha), विष्णोः विशेषनाम

• उपोषितः: having fasted
• उपोषितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-वास् (धातु) → उपोषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘having fasted’ (qualifies नरः)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन

• श्रद्धा-समन्वितः: endowed with faith
• श्रद्धा-समन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—श्रद्धासमन्वित = श्रद्धया समन्वितः (instrumental-tatpurusha), ‘endowed with faith’ (qualifies नरः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a vrata/ritual context within the Narada Purana dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvādaśī-Viṣṇu-vrata (Jalaśāyī worship on Dvādaśī)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narayan(a)
• Jalashayi

FAQs

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

It teaches that faith-filled fasting (upavāsa) culminates in proper worship (arcana) of Viṣṇu, making a lunar observance (Dvādaśī in Mārgaśīrṣa śukla-pakṣa) a direct means to cultivate devotion and merit through disciplined ritual.

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

Bhakti is framed as sincere, regulated worship: the devotee fasts, then worships Viṣṇu “properly” and “with śraddhā,” emphasizing inner faith expressed through outward devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Vedāṅga-style calendrical discipline: identifying the correct lunar timing (śukla-pakṣa, Dvādaśī, month of Mārgaśīrṣa) for a vrata, reflecting Jyotiṣa-based ritual scheduling used in Purāṇic observances.