Shloka 1

Tithi-vicara

Determination of Tithi for Fasts, Parana, and Pitri Rites

Devanagari script

वसिष्ट उवाच । इममेवार्थमुद्दिश्य नैमिषारण्यवासिनः । पप्रच्छुर्मुनयः सूतं व्यासशिष्यं महामतिम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

vasiṣṭa uvāca | imamevārthamuddiśya naimiṣāraṇyavāsinaḥ | papracchurmunayaḥ sūtaṃ vyāsaśiṣyaṃ mahāmatim || 1 ||

Translation

వసిష్ఠుడు పలికెను—ఈ విషయమునే ఉద్దేశించి నైమిషారణ్య నివాసి మునులు, వ్యాసుని మహామతి శిష్యుడైన సూతుని ప్రశ్నించిరి ॥१॥

Word by Word

• vasiṣṭaḥ: Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• imam: this
• imam: Karma (कर्म/direct object of 'uddiśya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निश्चय/एवकार)

• artham: matter; purpose
• artham: Karma (कर्म/object of 'uddiśya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uddiśya: having referred to; intending
• uddiśya: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/gerundial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु) (उद्दिश्) + ya (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), gerund; 'having indicated/with reference to'

• naimiṣa-araṇya-vāsinaḥ: the residents of Naimiṣa forest
• naimiṣa-araṇya-vāsinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of 'papracchuḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: naimiṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः: तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी/अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध) 'dwellers in the Naimiṣa forest'

• papracchuḥ: asked
• papracchuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√prach (धातु) (प्रच्छ्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• munayaḥ: sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); apposition to 'naimiṣāraṇyavāsinaḥ'

• sūtam: Sūta
• sūtam: Karma (कर्म/person asked)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vyāsa-śiṣyam: the disciple of Vyāsa
• vyāsa-śiṣyam: Karma (कर्म/apposition to 'sūtam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष 'disciple of Vyāsa'

• mahā-matim: very wise
• mahā-matim: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय 'great-minded/very wise', qualifying 'sūtam'

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Naimiṣāraṇya
• Sūta
• Vyāsa

FAQs

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

It establishes the Purāṇic setting of sacred inquiry (praśna) and transmission (śravaṇa) in a tīrtha-like assembly—sages at Naimiṣāraṇya approaching Sūta, the authoritative link to Vyāsa.

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

Bhakti begins with attentive listening to authentic scripture from a qualified teacher; this verse models that devotional posture through the sages’ respectful questioning of Sūta in a holy gathering.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights the discipline of śravaṇa and systematic inquiry—foundational to preserving Vedic and Purāṇic learning—though it does not specify a particular Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa in this line.