Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25
The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata
अशक्तः पुरेतां तु नमस्कृत्य विसर्जयेत् । पंचाब्दं वादशाब्दं वा षोडशाब्दमथापि वा ॥ २५ ॥
aśaktaḥ puretāṃ tu namaskṛtya visarjayet | paṃcābdaṃ vādaśābdaṃ vā ṣoḍaśābdamathāpi vā || 25 ||
Nếu không đủ sức giữ trọn sự hành trì, thì hãy cúi lạy cung kính rồi kết thúc và xả bỏ đúng phép, dù là sau năm năm, hay mười năm, hoặc thậm chí mười sáu năm.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that dharma is to be practiced with sincerity and capacity; when one cannot continue a long observance, one should end it respectfully with namaskāra and proper visarjana rather than abandoning it carelessly.
By emphasizing humility and reverence—bowing before concluding—the verse frames even ritual discipline as an offering done with devotion, not as a rigid burden.
It reflects ritual procedure (kalpa-prayoga) principles: vows have prescribed commencements and conclusions, and a formal termination (visarjana) is part of correct observance when duration must be shortened.