Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

षोडशानां तु नित्यानां प्रत्येक तिथयः क्रमात् । तत्तित्तिथौ तद्भजनं जपहोमादिकं चरेत् ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

ṣoḍaśānāṃ tu nityānāṃ pratyeka tithayaḥ kramāt | tattittithau tadbhajanaṃ japahomādikaṃ caret || 84 ||

Translation

Đối với mười sáu pháp hành hằng ngày (nitya), mỗi pháp đều có tithi (ngày âm lịch) tương ứng theo thứ tự. Vào đúng tithi ấy, hành giả nên phụng thờ vị ấy/pháp ấy, đồng thời thực hành japa (trì tụng), homa (cúng lửa) và các nghi lễ liên hệ.

Word by Word

• ṣoḍaśānām: of sixteen
• ṣoḍaśānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), (लिङ्ग-निर्देशः सन्दर्भानुसारः) — 'of sixteen'

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

• nityānām: of the regular (nitya)
• nityānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), (लिङ्ग-निर्देशः सन्दर्भानुसारः) — 'of the eternal/regular (ones)'

• pratyekam: each, individually
• pratyekam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pratyeka (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — 'each, individually'

• tithayaḥ: lunar days (tithis)
• tithayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• kramāt: in sequence
• kramāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Adverbial locus-manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) — 'in order, sequentially'

• tat: that (correlative)
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Correlative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular) — demonstrative 'that' (used correlatively)

• tithi-tithau: on that very tithi
• tithi-tithau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tithi + tithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समासः (tithi on that tithi)

• tat-bhajanam: worship of that (deity)
• tat-bhajanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + bhajana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — 'its worship'

• japa-homa-ādikam: japa, homa, and the like
• japa-homa-ādikam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक) + homa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective) + ādika 'etc.'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• caret: should perform
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (चर् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Vedanga/ritual-technical discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that spiritual discipline becomes steady when aligned with sacred time (tithi), making worship, mantra-japa, and homa part of an ordered, continuous nitya practice.

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

By prescribing bhajana on the appropriate tithi, it frames devotion as a regular, time-honored routine—devotional worship supported by japa and sacrificial offerings.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Vedanga-Kalpa and time-reckoning via the Panchanga—using tithis to schedule rites, and pairing worship with standard ritual limbs like japa and homa.