Shloka 4

The Account of the Fruits of Bathing at Particular Sacred Places

Tīrtha-viśeṣa-snāna-phala

Devanagari script

षण्मासमेककालाशी सकृदेवोत्तरायणे । सोऽपि विष्णुपदं याति कुलानां शतमुद्धरन् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

ṣaṇmāsamekakālāśī sakṛdevottarāyaṇe | so'pi viṣṇupadaṃ yāti kulānāṃ śatamuddharan || 4 ||

Translation

即便有人六个月中每日仅食一次，并且只在太阳北行（Uttarāyaṇa）之时行此一回，也能到达毗湿奴之足（Viṣṇupada）——毗湿奴的圣住处，并超度家族百代。

Word by Word

• ṣaṇ-māsam: for six months
• ṣaṇ-māsam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (six-month period)

• eka-kāla-āśī: one who eats once (a day)
• eka-kāla-āśī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + āśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः: तत्पुरुष (ekakāle āśī = eating once (a day))

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• uttarāyaṇe: during the uttarāyaṇa (northern solstice half-year)
• uttarāyaṇe: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttarāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• viṣṇu-padam: Vishnu’s abode/position
• viṣṇu-padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (viṣṇoḥ padam)

• yāti: goes
• yāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धाातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• kulānām: of families/lineages
• kulānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (numeral)

• uddharan: lifting up/saving
• uddharan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भावे (concomitant action)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada, Uttara-Bhaga teaching context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Uttarayana

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a limited but sincere vow—single-meal discipline observed in the sacred period of Uttarāyaṇa—can lead to Viṣṇu’s abode and extend merit to one’s lineage (kula-uddhāra).

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

The austerity is framed as Viṣṇu-oriented (viṣṇupada-prāpti), implying that disciplined living becomes bhakti when dedicated to Viṣṇu, yielding both personal liberation and ancestral uplift.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on Jyotiṣa-style sacred timekeeping: observing during Uttarāyaṇa (a calendrical/astronomical division) shows how auspicious timing supports vrata practice in Narada Purana rituals.