Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

गन्धाद्यैरुपचारैस्तु विप्रान्संभोजयेत्ततः । एवं कृत्वा व्रतं विप्र दुर्गायाश्चैकभोजनः ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

gandhādyairupacāraistu viprānsaṃbhojayettataḥ | evaṃ kṛtvā vrataṃ vipra durgāyāścaikabhojanaḥ || 74 ||

Translation

จากนั้นด้วยอุปจาระ เช่น เครื่องหอม เป็นต้น พึงจัดเลี้ยงพราหมณ์ โอ้พราหมณ์ เมื่อทำวรตเช่นนี้แล้ว พึงถือวินัยเอกโภชนะ คือฉันเพียงวันละครั้ง เพื่อเป็นการบูชาพระทุรคาด้วย.

Word by Word

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with perfumes etc.
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करणम्

• उपचारैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारैः: करण (Karaṇa/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करणम्

• तु: indeed/and then
• तु: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; कर्मपदम्

• सम्भोजयेत्: should feed
• सम्भोजयेत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भुज् (धातु) (causative sense: भोजयति)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; अर्थः: ‘भोजयेत्’

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thereafter)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; संबोधनम्

• दुर्गायाः: of Durgā
• दुर्गायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एक-भोजनः: one who eats once (a day)
• एक-भोजनः: कर्ता (Karta/subject, implied practitioner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘(सः)’ इति विशेषणम्; अर्थः: एकवारं भोजनं यस्य (one-meal observer)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Durgā-vrata (ekabhojana-niyama)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Durga
• Brahmanas (Vipras)

FAQs

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

It teaches that a vow is completed not only by personal austerity but also by honoring sacred persons (brāhmaṇas) through proper offerings and feeding, and by maintaining disciplined restraint (single-meal observance) dedicated to Durgā.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through reverent upacāras (devotional services) and dedicating one’s bodily discipline (ekabhojana) to the deity—showing devotion through both worship and conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure is emphasized: the proper sequence of upacāra and brāhmaṇa-bhojana as a concluding rite of a vrata, along with the niyama (rule) of ekabhojana as a practical observance.