Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 116

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

एताभ्योऽन्त्र विप्रेंद्र द्वादश्यामेकभुक्तकम् । निसर्गतः समुद्दिष्टं व्रतं पातकनाशनम् ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

etābhyo'ntra vipreṃdra dvādaśyāmekabhuktakam | nisargataḥ samuddiṣṭaṃ vrataṃ pātakanāśanam || 116 ||

Translation

Hỡi bậc tối thắng trong hàng Bà-la-môn, trong các pháp nguyện ấy, lời nguyện “chỉ dùng một bữa” vào ngày Dvādaśī được tuyên dạy rằng tự bản tính là một vrata có năng lực diệt trừ tội lỗi.

Word by Word

• etābhyaḥ: from these
• etābhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; 'from these'

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय: 'here/in this context'

• vipra-indra: O best of Brahmins
• vipra-indra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (viprāṇām indraḥ) = 'O best of Brahmins'

• dvādaśyām: on Dvādaśī
• dvādaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• eka-bhuktakam: the one-meal (observance)
• eka-bhuktakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuktaka (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (ekaṃ bhuktakam) = 'single-meal observance'

• nisargataḥ: by nature
• nisargataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nisargataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): 'by nature/naturally'

• samuddiṣṭam: prescribed
• samuddiṣṭam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√diś (धातु) → samuddiṣṭa (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'has been prescribed/indicated' (agrees with vrataṃ)

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pātaka-nāśanam: sin-destroying
• pātaka-nāśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pātakānāṃ nāśanam) = 'destroyer of sins' (predicate/qualifier of vrata)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a leading brāhmaṇa / interlocutor within the vrata discussion)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekabhuktaka-vrata on Dvādaśī (within the Dvādaśī vrata set)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Dvadashi
• Vrata

FAQs

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

It elevates the Dvādaśī ‘ekabhukta’ (single-meal) observance as inherently pātaka-nāśana—an accessible vrata whose disciplined restraint purifies faults and supports dharmic living.

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

By recommending a simple, repeatable vrata tied to the sacred tithi cycle (Ekādaśī–Dvādaśī), it frames bodily restraint as a support for steady remembrance and worship—typical of Vaiṣṇava bhakti practice in Purāṇic teaching.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-style ritual discipline and tithi-based timing: the verse presumes knowledge of the lunar calendar (Dvādaśī) and codifies a concrete rule of observance (ekabhukta), aligning practice with dharma-śāstric vrata-vidhi.