Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

समाप्य च ततोऽस्यांते व्रतस्नातो महाव्रती । कारयेद्धेमघटितं भूगणेर्मूषकं रथम् ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

samāpya ca tato'syāṃte vratasnāto mahāvratī | kārayeddhemaghaṭitaṃ bhūgaṇermūṣakaṃ ratham || 57 ||

Translation

随后，当此誓行圆满之际，那位大誓者——行毕誓终浴（vrata-snāna）——应为 Bhūgaṇa 令造一乘黄金铸成的鼠形车。

Word by Word

• समाप्य: having completed
• समाप्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle); अर्थः—“समाप्य” = समाप्त्वा (having completed)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रम (then/from that)

• अस्य: of this (vow)
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्रत-स्नातः: having taken the vow-bath (ritually bathed)
• व्रत-स्नातः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—व्रते स्नातः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष) = having bathed (ritually) for the vow

• महā-व्रती: the great-vowed observer
• महā-व्रती: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय—महान् व्रती (one who has a great vow)

• कारयेत्: should have (it) made
• कारयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative; विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; अर्थः—“should cause to be made”

• हेम-घटितम्: made of gold / gold-crafted
• हेम-घटितम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + घटित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—हेमेन घटितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष) = fashioned with gold

• भू-गणेः: of Bhūgaṇi (Gaṇeśa)
• भू-गणेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + गणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—भूः (पृथ्वी) + गणिः (गणेशः) → ‘भूगणिः’ (गणेश-नाम); षष्ठी—भूगणेः = of Gaṇeśa

• मूषकम्: a mouse
• मूषकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• रथम्: a chariot
• रथम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction to the Sanatkumara tradition; ritual prescription style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhūgaṇa

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that a vow (vrata) is completed not only by observance but by proper closure—vratasnāna (concluding bath) and a prescribed offering—signifying gratitude, purification, and the sealing of merit (puṇya).

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

Though framed as ritual instruction, it supports bhakti by directing the devotee to complete sacred observances with reverence and offering (dāna), expressing devotion through disciplined practice and dedicated gifting.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implicit: the verse specifies the correct end-stage of a vrata—vratasnāna and the commissioning of a symbolic gold offering—showing procedural precision central to Vedic ritual science.