Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

The Description of the Caturdaśī Vrata Observed throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

प्रार्च्य गन्धादिभिर्गौरीं घृतपंक्वमुपाहरेत् । व्रतमेतच्चरित्वा तु यथोक्तं द्विजसत्तम ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

prārcya gandhādibhirgaurīṃ ghṛtapaṃkvamupāharet | vratametaccaritvā tu yathoktaṃ dvijasattama || 59 ||

Translation

Sau khi cung kính thờ phụng Gaurī bằng hương thơm và các phẩm vật khác, hãy dâng món ăn đã nấu với bơ thanh tịnh (ghṛta). Khi thực hành hạnh nguyện này đúng như lời dạy, hỡi bậc tối thắng trong hàng nhị sinh, nghi lễ được viên mãn.

Word by Word

• प्रार्च्य: having worshipped
• प्रार्च्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वर्थ (gerund) from प्र+√अर्च्; ‘having worshipped’

• गन्धादिभिः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्धादिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (आदि-समास): गन्ध-आदि ‘perfumes etc.’; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गौरीम्: Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• गौरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• घृतपक्वम्: (food) cooked in ghee
• घृतपक्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्व (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: घृतेन पक्वम् ‘cooked in ghee’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (object of उपाहरेत्)

• उपाहरेत्: should offer/bring near
• उपाहरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• व्रतम्: the vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; determiner of ‘व्रतम्’

• चरित्वा: having observed
• चरित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from √चर्; ‘having performed/observed’

• तु: then; indeed
• तु: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अनुवादार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• यथोक्तम्: as prescribed
• यथोक्तम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास: यथा+उक्तम् ‘as said’; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय (श्रेष्ठो द्विजः): ‘best of the twice-born’; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within a vrata context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Pāṣāṇa-vrata (continuation context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gauri (Parvati)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined observance (vrata) through correct worship (pūjā) and offering (naivedya), teaching that spiritual merit arises from performing the rite exactly as enjoined (yathoktam).

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

It presents bhakti in a ritual-devotional form: honoring the deity with fragrance and food offerings, expressing reverence through tangible acts of service and faithful adherence to the prescribed method.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and correctness—aligned with Kalpa (the Vedāṅga dealing with rites) through the instruction to perform the vrata and offerings precisely according to injunction.