Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20
Tithi-Nirṇaya for Vratas: Ekādaśī Rules, Saṅkrānti Punya-kāla, Eclipse Observances, and Prāyaścitta
स्नानदानजपादीनां कुर्वतामक्षय फलम् । तत्र कर्कटको ज्ञेयो दक्षिणायनसंक्रमः ॥ २० ॥
snānadānajapādīnāṃ kurvatāmakṣaya phalam | tatra karkaṭako jñeyo dakṣiṇāyanasaṃkramaḥ || 20 ||
Para sa mga nagsasagawa ng banal na paliligo, dāna (pagkakaloob), japa, at mga kaugnay na ritwal, ang bunga ay nagiging di-nasisira. Sa bagay na ito, alamin na ang pagpasok sa Karkaṭaka (Cancer) ang Dakṣiṇāyana-saṅkrānti, ang paglipat ng Araw sa timog na landas.
Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that performing core dharmic acts—snāna, dāna, and japa—at the Dakṣiṇāyana transition yields akṣaya (inexhaustible) merit, highlighting saṃkrānti as a spiritually potent time.
While framed as ritual timing, the verse supports bhakti in practice by directing devotees to intensify japa and charity on sacred calendrical thresholds, making devotion steady and fruitful.
Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy): it identifies Dakṣiṇāyana-saṃkrānti specifically with the Sun’s ingress into Karkaṭa (Cancer), linking calendrical astronomy to ritual efficacy.