Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

सचंद्रैर्मार्गशीर्ष्यां तु नालिकेरैरपूपकैः । पौष्यां सशर्करगुडैर्गवां दुग्धैः समर्चयेत् ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

sacaṃdrairmārgaśīrṣyāṃ tu nālikerairapūpakaiḥ | pauṣyāṃ saśarkaraguḍairgavāṃ dugdhaiḥ samarcayet || 34 ||

Translation

Trong tháng Mārgaśīrṣa, hãy thành kính thờ phụng Thần linh bằng lễ vật kèm các món ngọt như vầng trăng (candra), cùng dừa và bánh apūpa; còn trong tháng Pauṣa, hãy cúng dường bằng đường và đường thốt nốt (jaggery), kèm sữa bò.

Word by Word

• स: with, along with
• स: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunctive particle)

• चन्द्रैः: with moons (moon-like items)
• चन्द्रैः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• मार्गशीर्ष्याम्: in (the month/asterism) Mārgaśīrṣī
• मार्गशीर्ष्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

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

• नालिकेरैः: with coconuts
• नालिकेरैः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नालिकेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• अपूपकैः: with small cakes
• अपूपकैः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपूपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• पौष्याम्: in (the month/asterism) Pauṣī
• पौष्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• स: with, along with
• स: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunctive particle)

• शर्करा-गुडैः: with sugar and jaggery
• शर्करा-गुडैः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक) + गुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग (समाहार/प्रायः), तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Instrumental Plural)

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• दुग्धैः: with milk
• दुग्धैः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• समर्चयेत्: should worship
• समर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a procedural/ritual register within the Narada Purana’s Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches month-specific naivedya (food offerings) as a disciplined way to align worship with the sacred lunar calendar, expressing devotion through regulated, sattvic gifts like milk, sugar, jaggery, coconuts, and sweet cakes.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as attentive service (upacāra) and proper offering—devotion becomes concrete through consistent worship and fitting gifts, performed with care according to time (kāla) and tradition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects calendrical and ritual application tied to the lunar months (Mārgaśīrṣa, Pauṣa), a practical interface of jyotiṣa-informed timing and procedural worship norms used in vrata and pūjā.