Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Tithi-Nirṇaya for Vratas: Ekādaśī Rules, Saṅkrānti Punya-kāla, Eclipse Observances, and Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

सैव ग्राह्या मुनिश्रेष्ट नक्षत्रविहितव्रते । यद्यर्द्धरात्रघगयोर्व्यात्पं नक्षत्रं तु दिनद्वये ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

saiva grāhyā muniśreṣṭa nakṣatravihitavrate | yadyarddharātraghagayorvyātpaṃ nakṣatraṃ tu dinadvaye || 12 ||

Translation

Ó melhor dos sábios, num voto prescrito com referência a um nakṣatra, deve-se aceitar somente esse mesmo nakṣatra para determinar a observância — ainda que, ao ultrapassar a meia-noite, ele se estenda por ambos os dias.

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (tithi/nakṣatra implied)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• ग्राह्या: to be accepted/should be taken
• ग्राह्या: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय) → ग्राह्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; कर्मणि-भावे यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be taken’)

• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुनिषु श्रेष्ठः)

• नक्षत्रविहितव्रते: O (you) whose vow is prescribed by the nakṣatra
• नक्षत्रविहितव्रते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र + विहित + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (नक्षत्रेण विहितं व्रतं यस्य)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Hetu/Condition (हेतु/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• अर्द्धरात्र: of the two midnights
• अर्द्धरात्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्द्ध + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (अर्द्धा रात्रिः)

• गयोः: of the two passages/occurrences
• गयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग (प्रातिपदिक; ‘going/passage’/गति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• व्यात्पम्: spanning/covering
• व्यात्पम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √आप्/आप् with वि- उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘pervading/covering’

• नक्षत्रम्: the lunar mansion (nakṣatra)
• नक्षत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• दिनद्वये: in the two days
• दिनद्वये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन + द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वौ दिनौ)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes dharma through precision in vrata observance: when a vow is tied to a nakṣatra, fidelity to the prescribed celestial marker preserves the intended merit (phala) of the rite.

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

By teaching careful observance of vow-timings, it supports disciplined devotional practice: correct ritual timing becomes a form of attentive service (sevā) offered with steadiness of mind.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa: it gives a rule for deciding the operative nakṣatra when it overlaps two civil days due to crossing midnight, guiding calendar-based ritual decisions.