Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

The Account of the Third-day Vow Observed through the Twelve Months

Tṛtīyā-vrata

Devanagari script

द्वापरं हि कलिर्भाद्रे प्रवृत्तानि युगानि वै । तत्र राधतृतीयायां श्रीसमेतं जगद्गुरुम् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

dvāparaṃ hi kalirbhādre pravṛttāni yugāni vai | tatra rādhatṛtīyāyāṃ śrīsametaṃ jagadgurum || 12 ||

Translation

确然，兜婆罗劫与迦梨劫皆于跋陀罗钵陀月（Bhādrapada）开始。其时——在名为“罗陀第三日”（Rādhā-tṛtīyā）之日——当礼拜世界之师（Jagad-guru），并与圣母室利（Śrī，吉祥天女Lakṣmī）同供。

Word by Word

• dvāparam: Dvāpara (yuga)
• dvāparam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana (as yuga-name)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (emphasis/causal)

• kaliḥ: Kali (yuga)
• kaliḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• bhādre: in Bhādra (month)
• bhādre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhādra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; locative (in Bhādra month)

• pravṛttāni: commenced
• pravṛttāni: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vṛt (प्र+वृत् धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle, Napumsaka, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; agreeing with ‘yugāni’ (‘have commenced’)

• yugāni: yugas
• yugāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of place (‘there/in that context’)

• rādha-tṛtīyāyām: on Rādha-tṛtīyā
• rādha-tṛtīyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rādha (प्रातिपदिक) + tṛtīyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; determinative: ‘rādhasya tṛtīyā’ (Rādha-tṛtīyā tithi)

• śrī-sametam: accompanied by Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• śrī-sametam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + sameta (समेत, कृदन्त from sam-√i ‘to be together’)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; ‘śriyā sametaḥ’ (accompanied by Śrī), used as object-qualifier

• jagat-gurum: the world-teacher
• jagat-gurum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; determinative: ‘jagataḥ guruḥ’ (teacher of the world)

Speaker

Narada (in an Anukramanika-style narration within Book 1.4)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Rādhā-tṛtīyā (yugādi-linked observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Dvapara-yuga
• Bhadrapada
• Radha
• Shri (Lakshmi)
• Jagadguru (Vishnu/Krishna)

FAQs

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

It links cosmic time (the turning of yugas) with devotional practice, teaching that even amid epochal transitions one should take refuge in the Jagadguru—Vishnu/Krishna—worshipped together with Śrī (Lakṣmī), the embodiment of auspiciousness.

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

Bhakti is expressed as timely worship: on the sacred tithi (Rādhā-tṛtīyā) the devotee honors the Supreme Lord as the world’s Guru, with Śrī, emphasizing surrender, reverence, and auspicious devotion rather than mere speculation about time cycles.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses calendrical discipline—month (Bhādrapada) and lunar day (tṛtīyā)—reflecting Jyotiṣa-based timekeeping for rituals and vratas, a practical application of Vedic astronomy/astrology in scheduling worship.