Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 94

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

फाल्गुनापरपक्षे तु शीतलामष्टमीदिने । पूजयेत्सर्ववपक्कानैः सप्तम्यां विधिवत्कृतैः ॥ ९४ ॥

Transliteration

phālgunāparapakṣe tu śītalāmaṣṭamīdine | pūjayetsarvavapakkānaiḥ saptamyāṃ vidhivatkṛtaiḥ || 94 ||

Translation

Na quinzena escura de Phālguna, no dia de Śītalā-Aṣṭamī, deve-se adorar a Deusa Śītalā com toda espécie de oferendas cozidas, preparadas devidamente no sétimo dia (Saptamī) conforme o rito prescrito.

Word by Word

• phālgunāparapakṣe: in the latter fortnight of Phālguna
• phālgunāparapakṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phālguna-apara-pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) [phālguna + apara + pakṣa]
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (sg); kāla-adhikaraṇa

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Virodha/Anvaya-nipāta (particle/निपात)

• śītalām: Śītalā (goddess)
• śītalām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śītalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (sg)

• aṣṭamīdine: on the day of the eighth (tithi)
• aṣṭamīdine: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭamī-dina (प्रातिपदिक) [aṣṭamī + dina]
• Form: Napुंसकliṅga (n.), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (sg); kāla-adhikaraṇa

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg); (kartā implied: ‘one should’)

• sarvavapakkānaiḥ: with all cooked offerings/foods
• sarvavapakkānaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-vapakkāna (प्रातिपदिक) [sarva + vapakkāna]
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.) (collective/food-items), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (pl); karaṇa

• saptamyām: on the seventh (tithi)
• saptamyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saptamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (sg); kāla-adhikaraṇa

• vidhivat: according to rule
• vidhivat: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhivat (अव्यय)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa avyaya (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• kṛtaiḥ: prepared
• kṛtaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya (past passive participle/क्त), Bahuvacana (pl), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka agreement with ‘(offerings)’; ‘having been prepared/made’

Speaker

Narada (in instruction mode within the Purāṇic ritual summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Śītalā-aṣṭamī (Śītalā-vrata)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shitala (Śītalā Devī)

FAQs

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

It sanctifies Śītalā-Aṣṭamī as a tithi-specific observance and teaches that disciplined timing (Saptamī preparation, Aṣṭamī worship) makes the worship ritually complete and spiritually efficacious.

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

Bhakti is expressed here through orderly vrata-practice—preparing offerings with care and worshipping on the appointed tithi—showing devotion as reverent, rule-guided service (sevā) to the deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights calendrical/astronomical reckoning of tithis (a core application aligned with Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga) and the ritual execution principles of Kalpa—preparing offerings on Saptamī and performing worship on Aṣṭamī.