Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

अशोककलिकाश्चाष्टौ ये पिबंति पुनर्वसौ । चैत्रे मासि सिताष्टम्यां न ते शोकमवाप्नुयुः ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

aśokakalikāścāṣṭau ye pibaṃti punarvasau | caitre māsi sitāṣṭamyāṃ na te śokamavāpnuyuḥ || 3 ||

Translation

చైత్ర మాస శుక్ల అష్టమి నాడు పునర్వసు నక్షత్రంలో ఎవరు అశోక వృక్షపు ఎనిమిది మొగ్గలను పానం చేస్తారో, వారు శోకాన్ని పొందరు।

Word by Word

• अशोक-कलिकाः: Ashoka buds
• अशोक-कलिकाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशोक (प्रातिपदिक) + कलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): अशोकस्य कलिकाः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पिबन्ति: drink
• पिबन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पुनर्वसौ: on (the day of) Punarvasu (nakshatra)
• पुनर्वसौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्वसु (नक्षत्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); नक्षत्र-सप्तमी (locative of time)

• चैत्रे: in (the month of) Chaitra
• चैत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); मास-विशेषण (month-name used locatively)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सिता-अष्टम्याम्: on the bright eighth (tithi)
• सिता-अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिता (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः: सिता (शुक्ला) अष्टमी (8th lunar day)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• शोकम्: sorrow
• शोकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अवाप्नुयुः: would attain
• अवाप्नुयुः: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/Potential), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ashoka (tree)
• Punarvasu (Nakshatra)
• Caitra (month)
• Shukla Ashtami (tithi)

FAQs

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

It teaches a specific vrata-style remedy where a timed observance (Caitra Śukla Aṣṭamī with Punarvasu) and aśoka-bud intake is said to counteract śoka (grief), emphasizing dharmic living through calendrical discipline.

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

While not explicitly naming a deity here, it reflects the Purāṇic bhakti culture in which faith-filled, rule-based observances (vrata and śubha-kāla) are undertaken as sacred acts that purify the mind and reduce suffering.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology) is central: the result is linked to a precise combination of māsa (Caitra), tithi (Śukla Aṣṭamī), and nakṣatra (Punarvasu), showing how ritual timing is prescribed in Purāṇic practice.