Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 107

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

श्रवणर्क्षयुता चेत्स्याद्द्वादशी धवले दले । तदा सा विजया नाम तस्यामचेद्गदाधरम् ॥ १०७ ॥

Transliteration

śravaṇarkṣayutā cetsyāddvādaśī dhavale dale | tadā sā vijayā nāma tasyāmacedgadādharam || 107 ||

Translation

หากวันทวาทศีในปักษ์สว่างตรงกับนักษัตรศรวณะ ก็เรียกว่า ‘วิชัยา’; ในวันนั้นพึงบูชาพระคทาธร (พระวิษณุผู้ทรงคทา).

Word by Word

• श्रवणर्क्षयुता: joined with the Śravaṇa constellation
• श्रवणर्क्षयुता: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रवण-ऋक्ष-युत (प्रातिपदिक; श्रवण + ऋक्ष + युत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying dvādaśī)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: सम्बन्ध (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्ययम् (conditional particle ‘if’)

• स्यात्: should be/occurs
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• द्वादशी: Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• द्वादशी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• धवले: in the bright (white)
• धवले: अधिकरण-विशेषण (Locative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying dale/pakṣe)

• दले: in the half/fortnight
• दले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘half/part’, here = पक्ष (fortnight)

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम्

• सा: that (tithi)
• सा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• विजया: Vijayā
• विजया: सम्बन्ध (Apposition/Naming)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नाम

• नाम: by name
• नाम: सम्बन्ध (Naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः; नाम-निर्देशकः

• तस्याम्: on that (day)
• तस्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अचेत्: should worship
• अचेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; छान्दस/पुराण-प्रयोगे ‘अर्चेत्’ रूपस्य लोपः (archaic contraction)

• गदाधरम्: Gadādhara (bearer of the mace)
• गदाधरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा-धर (प्रातिपदिक; गदा + धर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विष्णोः नाम

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on vrata/tithi-nakshatra combinations)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Vijayā (Dvādaśī observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Gadadhara
• Shravana Nakshatra

FAQs

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

It identifies an auspicious tithi–nakṣatra conjunction (Śukla Dvādaśī with Śravaṇa) as ‘Vijayā,’ directing the devotee to Viṣṇu-worship for spiritual success and auspicious outcomes.

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

Bhakti is expressed through focused worship (arcana) of Gadādhara on a sacred calendrical moment, showing that devotion is strengthened by aligning one’s practice with dharmic time (tithi and nakṣatra).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic calendrics/astrology): the verse uses nakṣatra (Śravaṇa) and tithi (Dvādaśī) in the bright fortnight to define a specific vrata day and its prescribed worship.