Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

The Second Twelve-Month Vrata: Dvitīyā Observances and Their Fruits

Devanagari script

नभः शुक्लद्वितीयायां विश्वकर्मा प्रजापतिः । स्वपितीति तिथिः पुण्या ह्यशोकशयनाह्वया ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

nabhaḥ śukladvitīyāyāṃ viśvakarmā prajāpatiḥ | svapitīti tithiḥ puṇyā hyaśokaśayanāhvayā || 13 ||

Translation

Vào ngày Śukla-dvitīyā (mồng hai nửa tháng sáng) của tháng Nabhas, nên thờ phụng Prajāpati Viśvakarmā. Tithi cát tường này được gọi là “Svapitī”, và cũng nổi danh với tên “Aśoka-śayana”.

Word by Word

• nabhaḥ: of Nabhas (month)
• nabhaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nabhas (नभस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); month-name ‘Nabhas’ (Śrāvaṇa)

• śukla-dvitīyāyām: on the bright second (tithi)
• śukla-dvitīyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; समय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla + dvitīyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—कर्मधारयः (śuklā dvitīyā)

• viśvakarmā: Viśvakarmā
• viśvakarmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvakarman (विश्वकर्मन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• prajāpatiḥ: the Lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• prajāpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता; समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); in apposition to viśvakarmā

• svapiti: sleeps
• svapiti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √svap (स्वप्) (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• tithiḥ: the lunar day (tithi)
• tithiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• puṇyā: auspicious
• puṇyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with tithiḥ

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), explanatory/emphatic

• aśoka-śayana-āhvayā: called ‘Aśoka-śayana’
• aśoka-śayana-āhvayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/नामधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśoka + śayana + āhvayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with tithiḥ; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (aśokaśayana iti āhvayā yasyāḥ) i.e., ‘called Aśoka-śayana’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Adhyaya’s calendrical/vrata context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Aśoka-śayana (tithi/observance name)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishvakarma
• Prajapati

FAQs

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

It sanctifies a specific lunar day—Nabhas Śukla-dvitīyā—as a meritorious tithi, prescribing reverence to Viśvakarmā and preserving the vrata-name traditions “Svapitī” and “Aśoka-śayana.”

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

Bhakti here is expressed through time-sacralized worship: honoring the deity associated with a tithi (Viśvakarmā) with faith and observance, treating the calendar itself as a framework for devotional discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics: identifying the month (Nabhas), the lunar fortnight (Śukla), and the tithi (Dvitīyā), along with its traditional ritual name used for vrata practice.