Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Ekādaśī Vrata-Vidhi and the Galava–Bhadrashīla Itihāsa

Dharmakīrti before Yama

Devanagari script

क्रीडाकाले मुहूर्तं वा मुहूर्तार्द्धमथापि वा । एकादशीति संकल्प्यव्रतं यच्छति केशवे ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

krīḍākāle muhūrtaṃ vā muhūrtārddhamathāpi vā | ekādaśīti saṃkalpyavrataṃ yacchati keśave || 42 ||

Translation

Mesmo em tempo de brincadeira, seja por um muhūrta inteiro ou por meio muhūrta, se alguém resolve: “Isto é Ekādaśī” e oferece esse voto a Keśava, isso se torna uma observância dedicada a Ele.

Word by Word

• क्रीडा-काले: at playtime
• क्रीडा-काले: अधिकरण (Location/Time locus—अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (krīḍāyāḥ kāle)

• मुहूर्तम्: for a muhūrta
• मुहूर्तम्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; काल-अवधि

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• मुहूर्त-अर्द्धम्: half a muhūrta
• मुहूर्त-अर्द्धम्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (muhūrtasya ardham)

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/क्रम (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequencing particle)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• एकादशी: Ekādaśī
• एकादशी: नाम/उद्धरण (Quoted designation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (उद्धृत-शब्दः in quotation)

• इति: thus
• इति: उद्धरण (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• संकल्प्य: having resolved
• संकल्प्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/क्त्वा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having resolved/intended’

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

• यच्छति: offers/gives
• यच्छति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु; ‘to give’ in this usage)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• केशवे: to Keśava
• केशवे: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative, 4th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekādaśī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Keshava
• Vishnu
• Ekadashi

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that sincere saṅkalpa (inner resolve) dedicated to Keśava sanctifies time itself—so even a brief, imperfectly timed observance can become spiritually fruitful when offered to Viṣṇu.

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

Bhakti is shown as intention-centered: dedicating one’s act as an offering to Keśava is the core, even if the act is small or occurs amid ordinary life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses ritual time-reckoning (muhūrta) and the discipline of saṅkalpa—key practical elements of vrata procedure and dharma-śāstric ritual practice.