Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

एवं कृत्वैकभुक्तं तु व्रतं विश्वेशतोषणम् । लभते वांछितान्कामानिहामुत्र च नारद ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ kṛtvaikabhuktaṃ tu vrataṃ viśveśatoṣaṇam | labhate vāṃchitānkāmānihāmutra ca nārada || 52 ||

Translation

Demikianlah, dengan memelihara nazar ekabhukta (makan sekali) yang menyenangkan Tuhan semesta alam, seseorang memperoleh segala hajat yang diingini—di dunia ini dan juga di alam kemudian, wahai Nārada.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थे (thus/in this manner)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• एक-भुक्तम्: (a vow) with eating once (a day)
• एक-भुक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भुज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (व्रतस्य); तत्पुरुषः (एकवारं भुक्तम्)

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

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• विश्व-ईश-तोषणम्: pleasing to Viśveśa (Lord of the universe)
• विश्व-ईश-तोषणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक) + तोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (व्रतस्य); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वेशस्य तोषणम्)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वाञ्छितान्: desired
• वाञ्छितान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाञ्छित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वाञ्छ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कामानाम्)

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालार्थे (here/in this world)

• अमुत्र: there (in the next world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालार्थे (there/in the other world)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (instruction addressed to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekabhukta-vrata (one-meal observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishvesha
• Narada

FAQs

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

It presents a phala-shruti: disciplined restraint through the ekabhukta-vrata, performed to please Viśveśa, becomes a means to gain auspicious results across both realms—this life and the afterlife.

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

Bhakti is expressed as toṣaṇa—pleasing the Lord through a sincere vow. The emphasis is not mere austerity, but devotion-oriented observance that aligns daily conduct (food restraint) with worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa-style ritual discipline (vrata-niyama) in practice—specifically regulated eating (ekabhukta) as a dharmic observance connected to worship and its stated results.