Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

अस्यांतु शर्करादानं शर्कराभोजनं तथा । कर्तव्यं हि प्रयत्नेन व्रतमेतद्रविप्रियम् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

asyāṃtu śarkarādānaṃ śarkarābhojanaṃ tathā | kartavyaṃ hi prayatnena vratametadravipriyam || 25 ||

Translation

Pada hari ini, hendaklah dengan bersungguh-sungguh memberi sedekah gula dan juga memakan gula; kerana vrata ini amat dikasihi Ravi (Surya, Sang Matahari).

Word by Word

• अस्याम्: on this (day/occasion)
• अस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• शर्करादानम्: giving sugar (as donation)
• शर्करादानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा-दान (प्रातिपदिक; शर्करा + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शर्करायाः दानम्)

• शर्कराभोजनम्: eating sugar
• शर्कराभोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा-भोजन (प्रातिपदिक; शर्करा + भोजन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शर्करायाः भोजनम्)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विधेय (should be done)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रविप्रियम्: dear to the Sun
• रविप्रियम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रवि-प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; रवि + प्रिय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रवेः प्रियम्)

Speaker

Narada (teaching the vrata-vidhi in a didactic passage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Śarkarā-saptamī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ravi
• Surya

FAQs

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

It teaches a specific vrata-vidhi: charity (dāna) and regulated intake (bhojana) offered in a disciplined way, aimed at pleasing Ravi (Sūrya) and gaining the merit (puṇya) of Sun-centered worship.

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

Bhakti is expressed through concrete, sattvic acts—offering, donating, and following a vow with sincerity (prayatna). The verse frames devotion as loving service that pleases the deity (here, Ravi).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application connected to calendrical observance (Jyotiṣa/vrata timing implied by “asyām”) and dharma-śāstra style procedure: prescribed dāna and diet as part of vrata discipline.