Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

The Exposition of the Pratipadā Vrata for the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

अशोको जायते विप्रधनधान्यसमन्वितः । अशोकपूजनं तत्र कार्यं नियमतत्परैः ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

aśoko jāyate vipradhanadhānyasamanvitaḥ | aśokapūjanaṃ tatra kāryaṃ niyamatatparaiḥ || 28 ||

Translation

तत्राशोकवृक्षः प्रादुर्भवति विप्रैर्धनधान्यसमन्वितः । तस्मिन् देशे नियमपरैः अशोकवृक्षस्य पूजनं कर्तव्यम् ॥

Word by Word

• अशोकः: Aśoka (tree)
• अशोकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• विप्र-धन-धान्य-समन्वितः: endowed with Brahmins, wealth and grain
• विप्र-धन-धान्य-समन्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक) + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त; सम्+अन्वि/अन्वय्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास; समन्वितः = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) used adjectivally

• अशोक-पूजनम्: worship of the Aśoka (tree)
• अशोक-पूजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (aśokasya pūjanam)

• तत्र: there/in that rite
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• कार्यम्: to be done/obligatory
• कार्यम्: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातोः यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• नियम-तत्परैः: by those devoted to observances
• नियम-तत्परैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष (niyame tatpara)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Vipra (Brahmins)
• Ashoka (tree)

FAQs

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

It links a sacred locale’s prosperity (presence of vipras, wealth, and grain) with a concrete act of dharma: worship of the Aśoka tree, emphasizing that auspicious places are sustained and honored through disciplined observance (niyama).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, rule-guided worship (pūjā) of a sacred manifestation in nature; devotion is not merely emotion but a regulated offering performed by niyama-tatpara practitioners.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-style ritual practicality is implied: it prescribes a specific pūjā (Aśoka worship) to be done at a specific place by those observing niyamas, reflecting applied ritual discipline rather than abstract doctrine.