Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 43
द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्
Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months
सुवासिनीर्भोजयित्वा गुरवे प्रतिमार्पणम् । कृत्वा स्वयं च भुंजीतं व्रतमेवं समापयेत् ॥ ४३ ॥
suvāsinīrbhojayitvā gurave pratimārpaṇam | kṛtvā svayaṃ ca bhuṃjītaṃ vratamevaṃ samāpayet || 43 ||
Setelah menjamu para wanita bersuami yang membawa keberkatan, dan mempersembahkan sebuah pratima (arca suci) kepada guru, hendaklah si pelaku vrata kemudian makan sendiri; demikianlah nazar (vrata) itu disempurnakan.
Sage Nārada (teaching vrata-vidhi in dialogue context with the Sanatkumāra tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches the proper completion (samāpana) of a vow: honoring worthy recipients (suvāsinīs), offering a devotional gift to the guru, and only then taking one’s own meal—placing dharma and reverence before personal enjoyment.
Bhakti is expressed through humble service and offering—feeding devotees/auspicious women and giving to the guru as an act of consecration—so the vrata ends as an offering-minded practice rather than mere self-discipline.
Ritual procedure (kalpa/ācāra) is implied: the correct order of concluding rites—bhojana to designated recipients, dāna (pratimā-arpaṇa) to the guru, and then one’s own bhojana—reflecting disciplined vrata-vidhi.