Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Māsopavāsa (Month-long Fast) and Repeated Parāka Observances: Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

चतुः कृत्वः कृतं येन पाराकं मुनिसत्तम । स लभेत्परमं पुण्यमष्टान्गिष्टोमसंभवम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

catuḥ kṛtvaḥ kṛtaṃ yena pārākaṃ munisattama | sa labhetparamaṃ puṇyamaṣṭāngiṣṭomasaṃbhavam || 15 ||

Translation

โอ้มหามุนี ผู้ใดปฏิบัติพรตปารากะสี่ครั้ง ผู้นั้นย่อมได้บุญอันสูงสุด เสมอด้วยบุญที่เกิดจากการประกอบอัคนิษโฏมยัญญะถึงแปดครั้ง.

Word by Word

• चतुः: four (times)
• चतुः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable numeral form)

• कृत्वः: times
• कृत्वः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्वस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, आवृत्तिवाचक (frequency adverb: 'times')

• कृतम्: done/performed
• कृतम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'पाराकम्' इति कर्म-विशेषण

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• पाराकम्: the Pārāka vow
• पाराकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (व्रत-नाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सत्तमः मुनिः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• स: he
• स: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लभेत्: should obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'पुण्यम्' इति विशेषण

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अष्टाङ्गिष्टोमसंभवम्: arising from the eightfold Iṣṭoma
• अष्टाङ्गिष्टोमसंभवम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्टोम (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (अष्ट-अङ्ग-इष्टोमात् सम्भवम्/सम्भूतम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'पुण्यम्' इति विशेषण

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Pārāka

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It elevates vrata-based tapas (austere fasting) as a potent source of puṇya, stating that repeating the Pārāka fast four times yields merit comparable to major Vedic sacrifices.

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

While the verse focuses on vrata and merit, it supports bhakti-oriented discipline by valuing self-restraint and vow-observance—common devotional supports—alongside (and even comparable to) large ritual sacrifices.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-knowledge is implied through the reference to Agniṣṭoma (a Śrauta yajña), showing how Purāṇic vrata-phala literature maps austerities to the merit-scale of Vedic sacrificial rites.