Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

पौषस्य शुक्लसप्तम्यां व्रतं चाभयसंज्ञितम् । उपोष्य भानुं त्रिःसन्ध्यं समभ्यर्च्य धरास्थितः ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

pauṣasya śuklasaptamyāṃ vrataṃ cābhayasaṃjñitam | upoṣya bhānuṃ triḥsandhyaṃ samabhyarcya dharāsthitaḥ || 52 ||

Translation

Pada hari Śukla-saptamī (hari ketujuh paruh terang) bulan Pauṣa, hendaklah dipelihara nazar yang bernama “Abhaya”. Setelah berpuasa, sembahlah Bhānu (Dewa Surya) tiga kali pada tiga sandhyā—pagi, tengah hari, dan petang—dengan merendah diri, berbaring atau duduk di tanah.

Word by Word

• पौषस्य: of Pauṣa (month)
• पौषस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘of (the month) Pauṣa’

• शुक्लसप्तम्याम्: on the bright fortnight’s seventh day
• शुक्लसप्तम्याम्: अधिकरण (Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल + सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समास: शुक्लसप्तमी = शुक्लपक्षस्य सप्तमी (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अभयसंज्ञितम्: named ‘Abhaya’
• अभयसंज्ञितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of व्रतम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभय + संज्ञित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त: संज्ञित (क्त-प्रत्यय, √ज्ञा/ज्ञा-सम् ‘named’); समास: अभय-संज्ञित = ‘called Abhaya’

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: पूर्वकाल (Adverbial gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपवस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: उपवस् ‘to fast’; ‘having fasted’

• भानुम्: the Sun
• भानुम्: कर्म (Object of worship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• त्रिःसन्ध्यम्: at the three sandhyās (thrice daily)
• त्रिःसन्ध्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय) + सन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययत्वेन प्रयोगः; अर्थः ‘त्रिः’ (three times) + ‘सन्ध्या’ (at the junctions) = ‘at the three sandhyās/three times daily’

• समभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वकाल (Adverbial gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (Gerund); उपसर्गौ: सम् + अभि; धातु: अर्च् ‘to worship’; ‘having duly worshipped’

• धरास्थितः: standing on the ground
• धरास्थितः: कर्ता (Subject/agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धरा + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कृदन्त: स्थित (क्त, √स्था); समास: धरास्थित = धरायाम् स्थितः (locative tatpuruṣa)

Speaker

Narada (in discourse, traditionally to the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Abhaya-vrata

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Bhanu)

FAQs

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

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.

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

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.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

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.