Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

माघस्य शुक्लद्वादश्यां शालग्रामशिलां द्विज । अभ्यच्य विधिवद्भक्त्या सुवर्णं तन्मुखे न्यसेत् ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

māghasya śukladvādaśyāṃ śālagrāmaśilāṃ dvija | abhyacya vidhivadbhaktyā suvarṇaṃ tanmukhe nyaset || 86 ||

Translation

اے دْوِج! ماہِ ماغھ کی شُکل دوادشی کو شالگرام شِلا کی بھکتی سے، رسم کے مطابق پوجا کرکے اُس کے مُنہ میں سونا رکھے۔

Word by Word

• माघस्य: of Māgha (month)
• माघस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• शुक्ल-द्वादश्याम्: on the bright (fortnight) Dvādaśī
• शुक्ल-द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘शुक्ला द्वादशी’; अधिकरण (time-locative)

• शालग्राम-शिलाम्: a Śālagrāma stone
• शालग्राम-शिलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘शालग्रामस्य शिला’; कर्म

• द्विज: O twice-born
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• अभ्यच्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यच्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having worshipped’

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rite
• विधिवत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb) ‘according to rule’

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• सुवर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• तत्-मुखे: in its mouth
• तत्-मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘तस्य मुखे’; अधिकरण

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/√न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvādaśī-vrata (Śālagrāma-pūjā oriented)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shalagrama
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It prescribes a specific Vaiṣṇava act of reverence—Śālagrāma worship on Māgha-śukla Dvādaśī—where devotion (bhakti) is expressed through correct ritual (vidhi) and a respectful offering (gold) to the Lord symbolized by Śālagrāma.

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

Bhakti here is not abstract; it is enacted as faithful, rule-based worship (vidhivad bhaktyā) of Śālagrāma (Viṣṇu’s emblem), showing that devotion in the Purāṇic path includes both inner sincerity and outward sacred observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights calendrical and ritual precision—observing the correct tithi (śukla-dvādaśī) and month (Māgha) and performing worship ‘according to rite’ (vidhivat), reflecting applied Jyotiṣa (timing) and Kalpa (ritual procedure).