Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52
The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months
Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana
पौषस्य शुक्लसप्तम्यां व्रतं चाभयसंज्ञितम् । उपोष्य भानुं त्रिःसन्ध्यं समभ्यर्च्य धरास्थितः ॥ ५२ ॥
pauṣasya śuklasaptamyāṃ vrataṃ cābhayasaṃjñitam | upoṣya bhānuṃ triḥsandhyaṃ samabhyarcya dharāsthitaḥ || 52 ||
पौष महिन्याच्या शुक्ल सप्तमीस ‘अभय’ नावाचे व्रत करावे. उपवास करून, भूमीवर राहून, प्रातः-मध्याह्न-सायं अशा तिन्ही संध्याकाळी भानूचे यथाविधी पूजन करावे.
Narada (in discourse, traditionally to the Sanatkumara brothers)
Vrata: Abhaya-vrata
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It prescribes the Abhaya-vrata: fasting and disciplined tri-sandhyā worship of Sūrya to cultivate fearlessness, purity, and steady dharmic resolve through regulated daily worship.
It frames devotion as embodied practice—fasting, repeated worship, and humility (remaining on the ground)—showing bhakti as regular, time-bound upāsanā rather than mere belief.
It uses ritual time-keeping via tithi (Śukla-saptamī) and tri-sandhyā observance, reflecting Jyotiṣa-based calendrics and the daily sandhyā discipline central to Vedic ritual procedure.