Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

ताम्रायाश्च पयो ग्राह्यं श्वेतायाश्च दधि स्मृतम् । कपिलाया घृतं ग्राह्यं महापातकनाशनम् ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

tāmrāyāśca payo grāhyaṃ śvetāyāśca dadhi smṛtam | kapilāyā ghṛtaṃ grāhyaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam || 68 ||

Translation

يُؤخذ اللبن من البقرة المُحمرّة (تامرَا)، ومن البقرة البيضاء يُشرَع أخذ اللَّبَن المُخثَّر (دَدهي). ومن بقرة كَپِلا ذات اللون الأسمر المائل للصفرة يُؤخذ السمن المقدّس (غِهرتا)، وهو مُزيلٌ للكبائر العِظام (مهاپاتكا).

Word by Word

• ताम्रायाः: of the copper-colored (cow)
• ताम्रायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पयः: milk
• पयः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ग्राह्यम्: to be taken/should be taken
• ग्राह्यम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘ग्रहणीयम्/should be taken’

• श्वेतायाः: of the white (cow)
• श्वेतायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दधि: curd/yogurt
• दधि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is said/considered
• स्मृतम्: विधेय (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘उक्तम्/considered/remembered as’

• कपिलायाः: of the tawny (cow)
• कपिलायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• घृतम्: ghee
• घृतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ग्राह्यम्: to be taken
• ग्राह्यम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महापातकनाशनम्: destroyer of great sins
• महापातकनाशनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापातक (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): ‘महापातकस्य नाशनम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the teaching as received in the Narada–Sanatkumāra dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā (cow)
• Mahāpātaka

FAQs

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

It links specific cow-derived substances (milk, curd, ghee) with śuddhi (purification) and prāyaścitta, emphasizing that properly prescribed ritual substances—especially Kapilā-ghee—are held to mitigate even major sins (mahāpātakas) when used within dhārmic procedure.

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

While primarily ritual, it supports bhakti indirectly: purity disciplines and expiations are presented as safeguards that steady a devotee’s life, making worship and vows more consistent and sattvic—conditions traditionally considered supportive for Viṣṇu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa/ritual procedure (as reflected in dharma-śāstra style prescriptions): which substance is ‘grāhya’ (acceptable) for a given rite and its intended purificatory result.