Shloka 26

Tithi-vicara

Determination of Tithi for Fasts, Parana, and Pitri Rites

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच । यदा च प्राप्यते सूत द्वादश्यां पूर्वसंभवा । तदोपवासो हि कथं कर्तव्यो मानवैर्वद ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca | yadā ca prāpyate sūta dvādaśyāṃ pūrvasaṃbhavā | tadopavāso hi kathaṃ kartavyo mānavairvada || 26 ||

Translation

ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ କହିଲେ— ହେ ସୂତ! ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଉଦ୍ଭୂତ ଏକାଦଶୀ ଯଦି ଦ୍ୱାଦଶୀ ଦିନରେ ପଡ଼େ, ତେବେ ଲୋକେ କିପରି ଉପବାସ କରିବେ? କହନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇaḥ: the Brāhmaṇa
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वक्ता (speaker)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘said’

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb ‘when’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)

• prāpyate: is obtained/occurs
• prāpyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive sense) ‘is obtained/occurs’

• sūta: O Sūta
• sūta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनम् (address)

• dvādaśyām: on Dvādaśī
• dvādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘dvādaśī’ तिथौ (on Dvādaśī)

• pūrva-saṃbhavā: having prior occurrence/arising earlier
• pūrva-saṃbhavā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘पूर्वेण सम्भवा’ = arising earlier/with prior origin; dvādaśyām इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (qualifying the Dvādaśī occurrence)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• upavāsaḥ: the fast
• upavāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विषयः (topic: the fast)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle ‘indeed/for’)

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb ‘how’)

• kartavyaḥ: to be done/should be performed
• kartavyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) → kartavya (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कर्तव्य-विशेषण (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; upavāsaḥ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (to be done/should be performed)

• mānavaiḥ: by people
• mānavaiḥ: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent, instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृसाधन (by men/people)

• vada: tell
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; ‘tell/say’

Speaker

Brahmin (questioner) addressing Suta

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekādaśī/Dvādaśī fast (timing question)

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_journey":"A respectful inquiry that moves from confusion about an edge-case (tithi overlap) to a request for authoritative clarification."}

Characters & Entities

• Suta

FAQs

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

It highlights Dharma as precision in vrata-observance: when lunar tithis shift, one should still preserve the sanctity of the Ekādaśī fast by following the correct rule rather than fasting arbitrarily.

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

By asking how to keep the fast correctly, the verse frames Bhakti as disciplined devotion—serving the Lord through faithful observance of Ekādaśī even under calendrical complications.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Vedāṅga-based timekeeping (Jyotiṣa/pañcāṅga tithi determination): the fast depends on when Ekādaśī tithi is ‘obtained’ relative to Dvādaśī, requiring correct calendrical judgment.