Varaha Purana 57.3: Adhyaya 57, Shloka 3

The Observance for Attaining Radiance: The Soma Kānti-Vrata

Devanagari script

द्वितीयायां तु राजेन्द्र कार्त्तिकस्य सिते दिने । नक्तं कुर्वीत यत्नेन अर्चयन् बलकेशवम् ॥ ५७.३ ॥

Recitation with translationVaraha Purana 57.3

Transliteration

dvitīyāyāṃ tu rājendra kārttikasya site dine | naktaṃ kurvīta yatnena arcayan balakeśavam || 57.3 ||

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชาผู้ประเสริฐ ในวันทุติยาแห่งปักษ์สว่างเดือนการ์ตติกะ พึงบำเพ็ญ ‘นักตะ’ (ฉันอาหารยามค่ำ) ด้วยความเพียร พร้อมทั้งบูชาพระพลเกศวะ।

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Word by Word

• द्वितीयायाम्: on the second (tithi)
• द्वितीयायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन; काल-निर्देशे ‘तिथौ’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः राजन् + इन्द्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कार्त्तिकस्य: of Kārttika (month)
• कार्त्तिकस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सिते: in the bright (fortnight)
• सिते: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘दिने’ इति विशेषण

• दिने: on the day
• दिने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• कुर्वीत: should do/perform
• कुर्वीत: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• अर्चयन्: worshipping
• अर्चयन्: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• बलकेशवम्: Bala-Keśava (a form of Viṣṇu)
• बलकेशवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलकेशव (प्रातिपदिक: बल + केशव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः बलः केशवः इति कर्मधारय (epithet)

Speaker

Varāha

Tags

• Classical Literature
• Purāṇic Studies
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Dharma-śāstra (vrata practice)

FAQs

What is the historical significance of this verse?

It reflects a Purāṇic pattern of prescribing calendrical observances (vratas) tied to lunar dates, illustrating how devotional and ethical disciplines were organized within the Hindu ritual calendar in early medieval Sanskrit literature.

Which geographic location is identified?

No specific geographic site is named in this verse; it is primarily calendrical (Kārttika, bright fortnight, second lunar day) and devotional (Balakeśava).

What is the primary ethical instruction?

The verse recommends disciplined conduct—undertaking the nakta observance with care—paired with focused worship, emphasizing intentionality and restraint as cultural-ethical virtues within vrata practice.