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

十六种日常常行（nitya）各各依次对应其月相日（tithi）。于各自之tithi，当修彼之礼拜供奉，并行持诵（japa）、火供（homa）及诸相关仪轨。

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.