Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

ऊर्ज्जकृष्णचतुर्द्दश्यां तैलाभ्यंगं विधूदये । कृत्वा स्नात्वार्चयेद्धर्मं नरकादभयं लभेत् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

ūrjjakṛṣṇacaturddaśyāṃ tailābhyaṃgaṃ vidhūdaye | kṛtvā snātvārcayeddharmaṃ narakādabhayaṃ labhet || 46 ||

Translation

ในวันกฤษณจตุรทศีแห่งเดือนอูรชะ (การ์ตติกะ) ยามรุ่งอรุณพึงชโลมน้ำมันนวดกาย แล้วอาบน้ำบูชาพระธรรมะ ด้วยเหตุนี้ย่อมได้ความไร้หวาดกลัวต่อนรก

Word by Word

• ऊर्ज्ज-कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: on the dark fourteenth of the Ūrja (Kārtika) month
• ऊर्ज्ज-कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ज्ज (प्रातिपदिक) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषकालवाचक समासः (ऊर्ज्जे मासे कृष्णपक्षस्य चतुर्दशी)

• तैल-अभ्यङ्गम्: oil massage/anointing
• तैल-अभ्यङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तैलेन/तैलस्य अभ्यङ्गः)

• विधू-दये: at moonrise
• विधू-दये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधू (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विधोः उदयः)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: Dharma (deity/principle)
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अभयम्: fearlessness, safety
• अभयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain, may gain
• लभेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī (Ūrja/Kārttika) observance (Naraka-caturdaśī-type)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

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

It presents a simple Kartika (Ūrja) observance—dawn oil anointing, bathing, and worship of Dharma—as a dharmic purifier that removes the fear of Naraka, emphasizing ritual discipline joined with reverence for righteousness.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverential worship (arcana) after bodily purification; devotion is directed toward Dharma as a sacred principle/deity, showing that sincere worship aligned with righteous conduct is spiritually protective.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and basic time-determination used in dharma practice are implied: observing the tithi (Krishna Chaturdashi), the month (Ūrja/Kārttika), and the prescribed timing (dawn) for tailābhyanga, snāna, and arcana.