Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Ekādaśī Vrata-Vidhi and the Galava–Bhadrashīla Itihāsa

Dharmakīrti before Yama

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां निराहारो निगृहीतेन्द्रियो भवेत् । शयीत सन्निधौ विष्णोर्नारायणपरायणः ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ nirāhāro nigṛhītendriyo bhavet | śayīta sannidhau viṣṇornārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ || 13 ||

Translation

ഏകാദശിയിൽ നിരാഹാരനായി ഇന്ദ്രിയനിഗ്രഹം പാലിക്കണം; നാരായണപരായണനായി ശ്രീവിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ സന്നിധിയിൽ രാത്രി കഴിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ekādaśyām: on the Ekādaśī (day)
• ekādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirāhāraḥ: fasting; without food
• nirāhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; compound: nir (निः, negation) + āhāra (आहार)

• nigṛhīta-indriyaḥ: having restrained senses
• nigṛhīta-indriyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nigṛhīta (कृदन्त, √grah निग्रहणे) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound: nigṛhīta (restrained) + indriya (senses)

• bhavet: should be
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• śayīta: should lie down / sleep
• śayīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śī (धातु, शये)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person, Singular, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• sannidhau: in the presence
• sannidhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound: nārāyaṇa + parāyaṇa (devoted/intent on)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekadashi

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narayana

FAQs

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

It defines Ekādaśī as a discipline of purification: fasting and sense-restraint offered directly to Viṣṇu, with the devotee placing Nārāyaṇa as the highest refuge.

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

Bhakti is shown as lived practice—remaining near Viṣṇu (temple or icon), aligning body and senses with devotion, and cultivating single-pointed reliance on Nārāyaṇa (nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇatā).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse relies on calendrical observance of the lunar tithi (Ekādaśī), aligning vrata practice with traditional time-reckoning (jyotiṣa-based scheduling) and ritual discipline (upavāsa and indriya-nigraha).