Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 61

The exposition of the Pañcamī vow to be observed in the twelve months

Devanagari script

पंचम्यां प्रतिमासे तु शुक्ले कृष्णे च नारद । पितॄणां पूजनं शस्तं नागानां चापि सर्वथा ॥ ६१ ॥

Transliteration

paṃcamyāṃ pratimāse tu śukle kṛṣṇe ca nārada | pitṝṇāṃ pūjanaṃ śastaṃ nāgānāṃ cāpi sarvathā || 61 ||

Translation

Hỡi Nārada, vào ngày Pañcamī mỗi tháng—cả nửa tháng sáng lẫn nửa tháng tối—việc thờ cúng tổ tiên (Pitṛ) được dạy là đem lại lợi ích, và việc thờ cúng các Nāga cũng vậy, trọn vẹn mọi bề.

Word by Word

• पञ्चम्याम्: on the fifth (tithi)
• पञ्चम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रति-मासे: every month
• प्रति-मासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (प्रति मासम् = every month)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• शुक्ले: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्ले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (पक्षे)

• कृष्णे: in the dark fortnight
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (पक्षे)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (Pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पूजनम्: worship
• पूजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शस्तम्: is recommended
• शस्तम्: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (कृदन्त; शंस्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विधेय-विशेषण (praised/recommended)

• नागानाम्: of the Nāgas
• नागानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: ‘also’)

• सर्वथा: in all respects/always
• सर्वथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘in every way/always’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Monthly Pañcamī observance (within Dvādaśa-māsa Pañcamī-vrata framework)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Pitrs
• Nagas

FAQs

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

It establishes Pañcamī as a recurring monthly sacred time for honoring lineage (Pitṛ-pūjā) and harmonizing with serpent-divinities (Nāga-pūjā), indicating dharma maintained through tithi-based rites in both fortnights.

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

It frames devotion as disciplined, calendar-aligned worship—expressed through reverence to Pitṛs and Nāgas—supporting purity, gratitude, and steadiness in religious life that complements broader Vishnu-bhakti taught in the Purāṇa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics: identifying the tithi (Pañcamī) across both Śukla and Kṛṣṇa pakṣa for scheduling prescribed rituals.