Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

शर्करा च ततस्तस्मादिक्षुसारामृतोपमा । इष्टा रवेरतः पुण्या शर्करा हव्यकव्ययोः ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

śarkarā ca tatastasmādikṣusārāmṛtopamā | iṣṭā raverataḥ puṇyā śarkarā havyakavyayoḥ || 23 ||

Translation

由那甘蔗之精华生出“Śarkarā（糖）”，可比甘露。因此糖为苏利耶（太阳神）所喜，且在供神之供品（havis）与祭祖之仪（kavya）中皆具功德。

Word by Word

• शर्करा: sugar
• शर्करा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), अपादान/क्रमवाचक (thence/thereafter)

• तस्मात्: from that (source)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इक्षुसारामृतोपमा: comparable to nectar (from) sugarcane-essence
• इक्षुसारामृतोपमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इक्षु-सार-अमृत-उपमा (प्रातिपदिक; इक्षु + सार + अमृत + उपमा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (इक्षोः सारम् इव अमृतम्; तदुपमा)

• इष्टा: is esteemed
• इष्टा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु) → इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘esteemed/desired’

• रवेः: of the Sun
• रवेः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/causal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal adverb: therefore/for this reason)

• पुण्या: meritorious, sacred
• पुण्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• शर्करा: sugar
• शर्करा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• हव्यकव्ययोः: in/for offerings to gods and ancestors (havis and kavya)
• हव्यकव्ययोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य-कव्य (प्रातिपदिक; हव्य + कव्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th case), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (हव्यं च कव्यं च)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in an enumerative/summary passage typical of Book 1.4)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Śarkarā-saptamī (implied by context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

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

It identifies śarkarā (sugar) as a pure, nectar-like substance and declares it spiritually meritorious when used in sacred offerings, linking material purity to ritual efficacy.

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

By emphasizing what is “pleasing” (iṣṭā) in sacred worship—here associated with Sūrya—it shows bhakti expressed through careful, sattvic offerings made with reverence in yajña and related rites.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and substance-selection aligned with Kalpa (the Vedāṅga of ritual): which materials are appropriate and merit-producing for havya (deva-yajña) and kavya (pitṛ-yajña).