Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

तत्र दुर्गाचनं प्रोक्तं सव्रैरप्युपचारकैः । उपवासं चैकभक्तं महाष्टम्यां विधाय तु ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

tatra durgācanaṃ proktaṃ savrairapyupacārakaiḥ | upavāsaṃ caikabhaktaṃ mahāṣṭamyāṃ vidhāya tu || 77 ||

Translation

ณที่นั้นทรงบัญญัติการบูชาพระแม่ทุรคา พร้อมอุปจาระและเครื่องสักการะทั้งปวง. ครั้นในวันมหาษฏมี เมื่อถืออุโบสถและปฏิบัติเอกภักตะ (ฉันมื้อเดียว) แล้ว จึงดำเนินพิธีต่อไป

Word by Word

• तत्र: there/then
• तत्र: Deśa/Kāla-adhikaraṇa (देश/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: there/then)

• दुर्गा-अर्चनम्: worship of Durgā
• दुर्गा-अर्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दुर्गायाः अर्चनम्)

• प्रोक्तम्: is prescribed/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कथितम्’

• स-व्रैः: together with (vows/observances)
• स-व्रैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्गसदृश/प्रातिपदिक ‘सह’) + व्र (प्रातिपदिक; ‘व्र’ = व्रत/व्रतिनः इत्यर्थे, पाठभेदसम्भवः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः ‘सह’ अर्थे (with vows/with observances)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also)

• उपचारकैः: with offerings/attendant services
• उपचारकैः: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• उपवासम्: fasting
• उपवासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एक-भक्तम्: single-meal observance
• एक-भक्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; coordinated with ‘उपवासम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त—भज् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुषसदृशः (एकवारभोजनम्)

• महा-अष्टम्याम्: on the great eighth day
• महा-अष्टम्याम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती अष्टमी)

• विधाय: having done/observed
• विधाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having performed/ordained)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (particle: indeed/but)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a prescriptive, anukramaṇikā-style summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahāṣṭamī (Durgā observance within Navarātra frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: vira (heroic)

Characters & Entities

• Durgā

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined devotion: Durgā is to be worshipped with complete ritual attentiveness (upacāras) and inner austerity through fasting, aligning the body and mind for śakti-upāsanā.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through pūjā (Durgārcana) supported by vrata—upavāsa and ekabhakta—showing devotion as both loving worship and self-restraint.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and basic tithi-based observance are implied: Mahāṣṭamī (the eighth lunar day) is the timing, and upacāras outline the practical structure of the worship.