Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15
Māsopavāsa (Month-long Fast) and Repeated Parāka Observances: Procedure and Fruits
चतुः कृत्वः कृतं येन पाराकं मुनिसत्तम । स लभेत्परमं पुण्यमष्टान्गिष्टोमसंभवम् ॥ १५ ॥
catuḥ kṛtvaḥ kṛtaṃ yena pārākaṃ munisattama | sa labhetparamaṃ puṇyamaṣṭāngiṣṭomasaṃbhavam || 15 ||
ഹേ മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! ആരെങ്കിലും പാരാക വ്രതം നാലുതവണ അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചാൽ, അവൻ പരമ പുണ്യം പ്രാപിക്കും—അത് എട്ട് അഗ്നിഷ്ടോമ യജ്ഞങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുള്ള പുണ്യത്തോടു തുല്യം.
Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)
Vrata: Pārāka
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It elevates vrata-based tapas (austere fasting) as a potent source of puṇya, stating that repeating the Pārāka fast four times yields merit comparable to major Vedic sacrifices.
While the verse focuses on vrata and merit, it supports bhakti-oriented discipline by valuing self-restraint and vow-observance—common devotional supports—alongside (and even comparable to) large ritual sacrifices.
Ritual-knowledge is implied through the reference to Agniṣṭoma (a Śrauta yajña), showing how Purāṇic vrata-phala literature maps austerities to the merit-scale of Vedic sacrificial rites.