Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

उत्तार्य डोरकं बाहोः कुंभस्याधो निवेदयेत् । चतस्रः प्रतिमाः कृत्वा सौवर्णीस्तत्स्वरूपिणीः ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

uttārya ḍorakaṃ bāhoḥ kuṃbhasyādho nivedayet | catasraḥ pratimāḥ kṛtvā sauvarṇīstatsvarūpiṇīḥ || 59 ||

Translation

เมื่อถอดโดรกะ (ด้ายคุ้มครอง) ออกจากแขนแล้ว ให้น้อมถวายไว้ใต้กุมภะ จากนั้นให้สร้างรูปเคารพทองคำสี่องค์ตามรูปนั้นแล้วถวายโดยสมควร।

Word by Word

• उत्तार्य: having lifted/removed
• उत्तार्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having lifted/removed’

• डोरकम्: a cord/thread (amulet-string)
• डोरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डोरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बाहोः: of the arm
• बाहोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

• कुम्भस्य: of the pot
• कुम्भस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अधः: below
• अधः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place) ‘below’

• निवेदयेत्: should offer/present
• निवेदयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु) / निवेदय् (णिजन्त-धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; causative ‘should offer/present’

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतस् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• प्रतिमाः: images/idols
• प्रतिमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• सौवर्णीः: golden (made of gold)
• सौवर्णीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; गुणवाचक विशेषण

• तत्-स्वरूपिणीः: having that very form
• तत्-स्वरूपिणीः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘तस्य स्वरूपिणीः’ (of that form)

Speaker

Narada (in instructional narration within the Anukramanika-style ritual summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes ritual completion and sanctification: the doraka used in the vow is respectfully deposited beneath the kumbha, and the devotee seals the rite through a costly, form-accurate offering (golden pratimās), expressing reverence, gratitude, and niyama (disciplined observance).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as careful, reverent service—handling sacred items properly and offering valuable gifts in the deity’s likeness, showing surrender and honoring the vow’s sacred form rather than treating the rite casually.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure): correct handling of vow-threads (doraka), kumbha placement, and the prescribed dāna/naivedya-style offering of pratimās as part of vrata completion.