Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Māsopavāsa (Month-long Fast) and Repeated Parāka Observances: Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

निराहारः सप्तकृत्वो नरो मासोपवासकान् । अश्वमेधस्य यज्ञस्य फलमष्टगुणं लभेत् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

nirāhāraḥ saptakṛtvo naro māsopavāsakān | aśvamedhasya yajñasya phalamaṣṭaguṇaṃ labhet || 18 ||

Translation

Người nào tuyệt thực hoàn toàn bảy lần sẽ đạt quả của tế lễ Aśvamedha, công đức ấy lại được gấp tám lần, vượt hơn các kỳ trai giới theo tháng.

Word by Word

• निराहारः: fasting (without food)
• निराहारः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; ‘without food/fasting’

• सप्तकृत्वः: seven times
• सप्तकृत्वः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्त + कृत्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), आवृत्तिवाचक; ‘सप्तवारम्’ (seven times)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मासोपवासकान्: monthly fasts
• मासोपवासकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास + उपवासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘मास-उपवासक’ = monthly fast-observances (or those who fast monthly)

• अश्वमेधस्य: of the Aśvamedha
• अश्वमेधस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्ञस्य: of the sacrifice
• यज्ञस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• फलम्: fruit, result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अष्टगुणम्: eightfold
• अष्टगुणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; द्विगु-समासः

• लभेत्: should obtain
• लभेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma-vrata context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: māsa-upavāsa / nirāhāra-upavāsa (sevenfold)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ashvamedha

FAQs

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

It elevates inner austerity (nirāhāra/upavāsa) as a powerful dharmic act, presenting fasting as a high-merit substitute that can equal or even surpass major Vedic sacrifices in spiritual result.

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

By valuing disciplined restraint and offering-based living, it supports the bhakti ethic of self-control and sacrifice of appetite—practices commonly paired with devotion, japa, and worship in Purāṇic vrata traditions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-practical dharma is emphasized: comparative phala (results) of yajña versus vrata, and the structured counting of observances (seven times), reflecting the Purāṇic system of prescribing and evaluating ritual-austerity outcomes.