Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

आश्विने मासिशुक्लायां द्वादश्यांसमुपोषितः । पद्मनाभं चपयसा स्नापयेद्भक्तितः शुचिः ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

āśvine māsiśuklāyāṃ dvādaśyāṃsamupoṣitaḥ | padmanābhaṃ capayasā snāpayedbhaktitaḥ śuciḥ || 74 ||

Translation

आश्विन मासाच्या शुक्ल पक्षातील द्वादशीला उपवास करून, शुचिर्भक्ताने भक्तिभावाने दुधाने पद्मनाभ (विष्णु) यांचे स्नान घालावे.

Word by Word

• आश्विने: in (the month) Āśvina
• आश्विने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्विन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (singular); ‘आश्विन-सम्बन्धे’ (in the month of Āśvina)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (singular)

• शुक्लायाम्: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्लायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (singular); ‘शुक्लपक्षे’ (in the bright fortnight)

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (singular)

• समुपोषितः: having fasted
• समुपोषितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उपोषित (कृदन्त, √उपवस्/उपोष् + क्त, सम्- उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• पद्मनाभम्: Padmanābha (Viṣṇu)
• पद्मनाभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मनाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पयसा: with milk
• पयसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (the deity)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्नापय् (धातु √स्ना, णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative; adverbial usage), एकवचन (singular)

• शुचिः: pure (one)
• शुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue on dharma and vrata)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvadashi-vrata (Padmanabha-focused)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Padmanabha
• Ashvina
• Dvadashi

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion expressed through disciplined observance—fasting on Dvādaśī and performing milk-abhiṣeka to Padmanābha—purifies the devotee and strengthens Vishnu-bhakti.

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

Bhakti is shown as loving service (sevā) done with inner purity (śuci) and reverence—offering a ritual bath to Vishnu is not mere formality but an act of heartfelt devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical and tithi-based observance (Dvādaśī in Āśvina śukla pakṣa), reflecting practical jyotiṣa-style timekeeping used to schedule vrata and pūjā.