Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20
The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months
Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana
निंबपत्रं ततोऽश्नीयाच्छयेद्भूमौ च वाग्यतः । द्विजान्परेऽह्नि संभोज्य स्वयं भुंजीत बंधुभिः ॥ २० ॥
niṃbapatraṃ tato'śnīyācchayedbhūmau ca vāgyataḥ | dvijānpare'hni saṃbhojya svayaṃ bhuṃjīta baṃdhubhiḥ || 20 ||
Kemudian hendaklah memakan daun neem dan berbaring di tanah sambil menahan kata-kata (berdiam diri). Pada hari berikutnya, setelah menjamu kaum dwija (Brahmana), barulah ia makan bersama sanak saudara.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It outlines a vow-like discipline: austerity (sleeping on the ground), restraint (silence), and purification (neem), completed by charity and respect for dharma through feeding Brahmins before taking one’s own meal.
Though procedural, it supports bhakti by cultivating self-control and humility and by honoring dharmic service (anna-dāna). Such disciplined living is presented as a supportive framework for steady devotional practice.
It primarily reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) through the sequencing of vow-actions—mauna, restraint, prescribed food, dvija-bhojana, and then one’s own meal—illustrating applied dharma in ritual observance.