Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 7

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

वर्षमेवं व्रतं कृत्वा घृतधेनुसमन्विताम् । शय्यां तु दद्याद्गुरवे सर्वोपस्करसंयुताम् ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

varṣamevaṃ vrataṃ kṛtvā ghṛtadhenusamanvitām | śayyāṃ tu dadyādgurave sarvopaskarasaṃyutām || 7 ||

Translation

Matapos tuparin ang panatang ito (vrata) sa loob ng isang buong taon, ihandog sa guru ang isang higaan na may lahat ng kasangkapan, kasama ang isang bakang nagbibigay ng ghee.

Word by Word

• varṣam: for a year
• varṣam: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially as duration (कालाधिकरणार्थे)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb ‘thus/in this way’

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त): kṛtvā; ‘having done/performed’

• ghṛta-dhenu-samanvitām: accompanied by a ghee-cow
• ghṛta-dhenu-samanvitām: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhenu (प्रातिपदिक) + sam-anvi-√i (धातु) → samanvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with śayyām; कृदन्त: क्त (PPP) from sam-anvi-√i; समासः: घृतधेन्वा समन्विता (accompanied by a ghee-cow) where ghṛta-dhenu is itself a तत्पुरुष (घृतस्य धेनुः)

• śayyām: a bed
• śayyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• tu: and/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा)
• Form: Verb; विधिलिङ् (optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; ‘should give’

• gurave: to the teacher
• gurave: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• sarva-upaskara-saṃyutām: equipped with all accessories
• sarva-upaskara-saṃyutām: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + upaskara (प्रातिपदिक) + sam-√yuj (युज्) → saṃyuta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; agrees with śayyām; कृदन्त: क्त (PPP) from sam-√yuj; समासः: सर्वोपस्करेण संयुता (provided with all accessories) where sarva-upaskara is a तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय sense ‘all accessories’

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a vrata/dāna instruction sequence, traditionally in dialogue context with Sanatkumara lineages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none (year-long vrata implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Guru (Ācārya)

FAQs

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

It teaches that a vrata is perfected not only by personal austerity but by concluding it with dāna—especially to the guru—transforming discipline into gratitude, service, and merit (puṇya).

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

By emphasizing offering and reverence to the guru, it supports bhakti as a lived practice—humility, surrender, and giving—rather than mere sentiment, since the guru is the guide who establishes devotion and right conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and completion-rules (kalpa-oriented practice): observing a vow for a fixed duration (one year) and concluding with an appropriate dāna (śayyā with upaskaras and a cow), reflecting structured vrata-vidhi.