Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Ekādaśī Vrata-Vidhi and the Galava–Bhadrashīla Itihāsa

Dharmakīrti before Yama

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां तथा स्नात्वा संपूज्य च जनार्दनम् । गन्धपुष्पादिभिः सम्यक् ततस्त्वे वसुदीरयेत् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ tathā snātvā saṃpūjya ca janārdanam | gandhapuṣpādibhiḥ samyak tatastve vasudīrayet || 14 ||

Translation

ഏകാദശിയിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് വിധിപൂർവ്വം ജനാർദനനെ പൂജിക്കണം; ഗന്ധം, പുഷ്പം മുതലായവകൊണ്ട് സമ്യക് അർച്ചിച്ച് ശേഷം ‘വസു…’ എന്ന് ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന ജപം/പാരായണം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• ekādaśyām: on Ekādaśī
• ekādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular

• tathā: thus; then
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त, अव्ययभाव), having bathed

• saṃpūjya: having duly worshipped
• saṃpūjya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√pūj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having worshipped

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• janārdanam: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• janārdanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• gandha-puṣpa-ādibhiḥ: with perfumes, flowers, and the like
• gandha-puṣpa-ādibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); compound: gandha + puṣpa + ādi (etc.)

• samyak: properly; well
• samyak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/krama (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (sequence)

• tu: indeed; then
• tu: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (विरोध/अन्वय)

• eva: certainly; only
• eva: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• vasu: the (sacred) formula/word ‘vasu’
• vasu: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular (used as object of speech)

• udīrayet: should utter/recite
• udīrayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√īr (धातु, उच्चारणे/प्रेरणे)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Narada (teaching the Ekadashi-vrata procedure, in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekadashi

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Janardana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It presents Ekādaśī as a disciplined devotional observance: purification by bathing, proper worship of Vishnu (Janārdana), and mantra/stotra recitation—uniting bodily purity, ritual correctness, and focused remembrance.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through upacāra-pūjā (offerings like fragrance and flowers) followed by sacred utterance, showing devotion as both loving service and attentive chanting directed to Janārdana.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-oriented ritual practice is implied: the sequence of snāna (purificatory bath), pūjā with prescribed upacāras, and mantra recitation reflects procedural discipline typical of vrata observances.