Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

महाष्टमीति च प्रोक्ता देव्याः पूजाविधानतः । वैशाखस्य सिताष्टम्यां समुपोष्यात्र वारिणा ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

mahāṣṭamīti ca proktā devyāḥ pūjāvidhānataḥ | vaiśākhasya sitāṣṭamyāṃ samupoṣyātra vāriṇā || 4 ||

Translation

ตามพิธีบูชาเทวีที่กำหนด การถือปฏิบัตินี้เรียกว่า “มหาอัษฏมี” ในเดือนไวศาขะ วันขึ้น ๘ ค่ำ พึงถืออุโบสถอย่างถูกต้อง ณ ที่นี้ โดยดำรงอยู่ด้วยน้ำเท่านั้น

Word by Word

• महा-अष्टमी: the ‘Great Eighth’ (tithi)
• महा-अष्टमी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः: महती अष्टमी

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative particle)

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

• प्रोक्ता: is called/said
• प्रोक्ता: Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• देव्याः: of the Goddess
• देव्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूजा-विधानतः: according to the procedure of worship
• पूजा-विधानतः: Hetu (हेतु/reason-basis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable) तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb ‘from/according to’); तत्पुरुषः: पूजायाः विधानम्

• वैशाखस्य: of (the month) Vaiśākha
• वैशाखस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), 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

• समुपोष्य: having fasted
• समुपोष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + वस्/उष् (धातु: उपवस् ‘to fast’) → उपोष्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative-adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वारिणा: with water
• वारिणा: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (in a didactic narration of vrata/puja rules; traditional dialogue framework with Sanatkumara lineage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahāṣṭamī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Vaishakha
• Ashtami
• Mahashtami

FAQs

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

It defines Mahāṣṭamī as a Goddess-centered observance and emphasizes disciplined upavāsa (fasting) as a means of ritual purity and devotional focus.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through regulated worship (pūjā-vidhi) and bodily restraint (water-only fasting), directing attention and intention toward the Devī.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It applies calendrical ritual timing—tithi observance (śukla-aṣṭamī of Vaiśākha)—which aligns with Jyotiṣa-based vrata scheduling used in Purāṇic practice.