Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

भास्करी सप्तमी चेयं कोटिभास्वद्ग्रहोपमा । अरुणोदयवेलायामस्यां स्नानं विधीयते ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

bhāskarī saptamī ceyaṃ koṭibhāsvadgrahopamā | aruṇodayavelāyāmasyāṃ snānaṃ vidhīyate || 63 ||

Translation

Đây là Bhāskarī Saptamī, rực rỡ ví như mười triệu mặt trời chói sáng. Vào ngày thánh này, việc tắm gội được truyền dạy vào lúc aruṇodaya, khi bình minh vừa hé.

Word by Word

• भास्करी: Bhāskarī (Sun-related)
• भास्करी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्करी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.)

• सप्तमी: Saptamī (seventh lunar day)
• सप्तमी: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.)

• कोटिभास्वद्ग्रहोपमा: comparable to crores of radiant celestial bodies
• कोटिभास्वद्ग्रहोपमा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि + भास्वत् + ग्रह + उपमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुषसमासः: ‘कोटि-भास्वद्-ग्रहैः उपमा’ = ‘comparable to crores of shining planets/stars’

• अरुणोदयवेलायाम्: at the time of dawn
• अरुणोदयवेलायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुण + उदय + वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अरुणोदयस्य वेला’

• अस्याम्: on this (day)
• अस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (sg.)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.)

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): ‘is prescribed/ordained’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a calendrical/vrata context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Bhāskarī-saptamī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bhaskara (Surya)
• Arunodaya

FAQs

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

It elevates Bhāskarī Saptamī as an exceptionally potent solar observance and stresses purification through a dawn bath, aligning the practitioner with the sacred power of the rising Sun.

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

By prescribing a simple, time-specific act (aruṇodaya-snana) connected to Bhāskara, it frames devotion as disciplined daily/occasional practice—honoring divine luminosity through ritual purity and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa/Vedic calendrics: the importance of tithi (Saptamī) and muhurta (aruṇodaya) for performing rites, showing how timing is integral to Narada Purana ritual injunctions.