Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

The Explanation of the Twelve-Month Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा यमोऽथ वरुणः सोमसूर्यहुताशनाः । गन्धमादी परमेष्ठीत्येवं षोडशनामभिः ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

brahmā yamo'tha varuṇaḥ somasūryahutāśanāḥ | gandhamādī parameṣṭhītyevaṃ ṣoḍaśanāmabhiḥ || 63 ||

Translation

“（祂被称呼为）梵天（Brahmā）、阎摩（Yama）与伐楼那（Varuṇa）；又为苏摩（Soma）、苏利耶（Sūrya）与火神（Hutāśana/Agni）；又为甘达玛迪（Gandhamādī）与至上座者（Parameṣṭhī）——如是以十六圣名而赞颂。”

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yamaḥ: Yama
• yamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• atha: then/next
• atha: Sambandha/Sequence (अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावार्थक अव्यय; Particle ‘then/next’

• varuṇaḥ: Varuṇa
• varuṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• soma-sūrya-hutāśanāḥ: Soma, Sūrya, and Hutāśana (Agni)
• soma-sūrya-hutāśanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: soma (प्रातिपदिक) + sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + hutāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (त्रयः देवाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• gandhamādī: Gandhama and others (as a group)
• gandhamādī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandhama (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (गन्धमः आदि यस्य/गन्धमादयः इत्यर्थे), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समूहवाचक); Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• parameṣṭhī: Parameṣṭhī (name/title)
• parameṣṭhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameṣṭhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha/Marker (उद्धरणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय; Quotative

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक अव्यय; Adverb ‘thus/in this manner’

• ṣoḍaśa-nāmabhiḥ: with sixteen names
• ṣoḍaśa-nāmabhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षोडश नामानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

Narada (in an enumerative, anukramanika-style passage; traditional dialogue context is Narada speaking to the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Yama
• Varuna
• Soma
• Surya
• Agni (Hutashana)
• Parameshthi
• Gandhamadi

FAQs

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

The verse presents a puranic method of contemplation: the One Supreme is praised through multiple cosmic offices—creator (Brahmā), judge (Yama), guardian of ṛta (Varuṇa), luminaries (Soma, Sūrya), and sacrificial fire (Agni)—showing unity behind diverse divine functions.

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

It supports bhakti through nāma-smaraṇa (remembrance by names): a devotee can approach the Supreme by reverently reciting and meditating on His epithets as present in all deities and cosmic powers.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns with mantra-vidyā and ritual application: identifying Agni (hutāśana), Soma, and Sūrya links the verse to yajña symbolism and devatā-saṅgati (proper deity-identification) used in Vedic recitation and worship.