Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19
Tithi-Nirṇaya for Vratas: Ekādaśī Rules, Saṅkrānti Punya-kāla, Eclipse Observances, and Prāyaścitta
सूर्येन्दुग्रहणे यावत्तावद् ग्राह्या जपादिषु । संक्रांतिषु तु सर्वासु पुण्यकालोनिगद्यते ॥ १९ ॥
sūryendugrahaṇe yāvattāvad grāhyā japādiṣu | saṃkrāṃtiṣu tu sarvāsu puṇyakālonigadyate || 19 ||
Durante os eclipses solar e lunar, toda a sua duração deve ser tomada para práticas como japa e observâncias afins. Do mesmo modo, em toda saṅkrānti (ingresso do Sol num novo signo), declara-se um período auspicioso (puṇya-kāla).
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha/Dharma instruction style of Book 1.1)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It identifies eclipse-time and saṅkrānti as specially empowered windows (puṇya-kāla) when japa and allied dharmic acts yield heightened merit, so practitioners should use the full eclipse duration and observe auspicious timing at every solar ingress.
By recommending sustained japa during grahaṇa and observance at saṅkrānti, it supports bhakti-sādhana through disciplined remembrance (nāma-japa), using sacred time to intensify devotion and inner recollection.
Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy) is central: the verse relies on eclipse duration and saṅkrānti calculations to define puṇya-kāla for rituals like japa, snāna, and dāna.