Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 95

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

सनातन उवाच । साधु पृष्टं त्वया भ्रातः साधूनां संशयच्छिदा । वक्ष्ये महाद्वादशीनां लक्षणं च फलं पृथक् ॥ ९५ ॥

Transliteration

sanātana uvāca | sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā bhrātaḥ sādhūnāṃ saṃśayacchidā | vakṣye mahādvādaśīnāṃ lakṣaṇaṃ ca phalaṃ pṛthak || 95 ||

Translation

สนาตนะกล่าวว่า—โอ้พี่น้องเอ๋ย ท่านถามได้ดี เป็นคำถามที่ตัดความสงสัยของผู้ประพฤติดี เราจักกล่าวลักษณะและผลของมหาทวาทศีแยกเป็นประการ ๆ

Word by Word

• सनातनः: Sanātana
• सनातनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• साधु: well! / good
• साधु: Sambandha/Prashamsa (प्रशंसा/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसावाचक (particle of approval)

• पृष्टम्: asked (well asked)
• पृष्टम्: Karma-bhava (कर्मभाव/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृतान्त (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘साधु’ इति सह—‘साधु पृष्टम्’ (well asked)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument ‘by you’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• भ्रातः: O brother
• भ्रातः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• साधूनाम्: of the good (saints)
• साधूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• संशयच्छिदा: by you, the doubt-dispeller
• संशयच्छिदा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ‘त्वया’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक) + छिद् (धातु) + तृच्/तृ (कृत् प्रत्यय: छिद्→छिद्+तृ = छिदा)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘संशयानां छिदा’ (cutter of doubts); कृतान्त (कर्तरि तृच्), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘त्वया’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (instrumental apposition)

• वक्ष्ये: I will explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• महाद्वादशीनाम्: of the great Dvādaśīs
• महाद्वादशीनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध/‘of’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (पूर्वपद) + द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘महती द्वादशी’ (the great Dvādaśī); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• लक्षणम्: characteristic
• लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of वक्ष्ये)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

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

• फलम्: result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of वक्ष्ये)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Sanātana (one of the Sanatkumāra brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahā-dvādaśī (class of Dvādaśī observances)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Sanātana

FAQs

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

It frames the teaching as a dharma-clarification: the sage promises a precise, doubt-removing explanation of Mahā-dvādaśī—its identifying features and the distinct spiritual results of observing it.

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

By presenting Mahā-dvādaśī observance as a structured vrata with definable marks and fruits, the verse points to disciplined devotion—bhakti expressed through sacred timing, restraint, and faithful practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implies practical calendrical and ritual discernment (tithi-based vrata decision-making): recognizing Mahā-dvādaśī ‘lakṣaṇa’ and performing the observance accordingly—knowledge aligned with Jyotiṣa (time-reckoning) and Kalpa (ritual procedure).