Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 97

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

अस्यामुपोष्य गोविन्दं यः पूजयति नारद । अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य फलं लभते ध्रुवम् ॥ ९७ ॥

Transliteration

asyāmupoṣya govindaṃ yaḥ pūjayati nārada | aśvamedhasahasrasya phalaṃ labhate dhruvam || 97 ||

Translation

โอ้นารท ผู้ใดถืออุโบสถในวันนี้แล้วบูชาโควินทะ ผู้นั้นย่อมได้ผลบุญแน่นอนเทียบเท่าพันอัศวเมธยัญ

Word by Word

• अस्याम्: on this (day)
• अस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप + वस् (धातु; उपवासे) + य (ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having fasted)

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूजयति: worships
• पूजयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य: of a thousand Aśvamedha (sacrifices)
• अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारण: ‘अश्वमेधानां सहस्रम्’ (a thousand Aśvamedhas); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सहस्र), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (accusative used adverbially); निश्चयार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (certainly)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahā-dvādaśī (context: Trispṛśā from prior verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Narada

FAQs

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

It elevates devotional fasting and worship of Govinda as a supremely effective dharmic act, declaring its merit to be comparable to vast Vedic sacrifices, thereby prioritizing bhakti with discipline (vrata).

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

Bhakti here is practical and vow-based: one restrains the senses through upoṣa (fasting) and directs the mind to Govinda through pūjā, and the text affirms that such sincere devotion yields assured spiritual merit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: upoṣa (vrata observance) and pūjā (formal worship procedure). The verse frames these as accessible substitutes for large-scale śrauta rites like the Aśvamedha.