Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas and the Sin-destroying Power of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा च विधिवज्जप्याद्गायत्र्यष्टसहस्त्रकम् । यवमात्रसुवर्णस्य स्तेयाच्छुद्धो भवेद्दिजः ॥ ४७ ॥

Transliteration

snātvā ca vidhivajjapyādgāyatryaṣṭasahastrakam | yavamātrasuvarṇasya steyācchuddho bhaveddijaḥ || 47 ||

Translation

بعد الاغتسال على الوجه الشرعي، ثم تلاوة غاياتري (Gāyatrī) جَپًا وفق المرسوم ثمانيةَ آلافِ مرة، يَتطهّر الدِّڤيجا (ثنائيّ الميلاد) من إثم سرقة ذهبٍ بوزن حبّة شعير واحدة.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (अनुक्रम/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): “having bathed”

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rule
• विधिवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (रीति/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: “according to rule”)

• जप्यात्: should recite/mutter
• जप्यात्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गायत्री-अष्ट-सहस्रकम्: eight thousand (recitations) of the Gāyatrī
• गायत्री-अष्ट-सहस्रकम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्ट (संख्या) + सहस्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्याविशिष्टं नाम (eight-thousand count)

• यव-मात्र-सुवर्णस्य: of gold of barley-grain measure
• यव-मात्र-सुवर्णस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; “of gold of barley-grain measure”

• स्तेयात्: from (the sin of) theft
• स्तेयात्: अपादान (अपादानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; “from theft”

• शुद्धः: purified
• शुद्धः: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with ‘द्विजः’)

• भवेत्: would become/should become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brāhmaṇa etc.)
• द्विजः: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri

FAQs

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

It presents prāyaścitta as a restorative discipline: ritual purity through snāna and focused mantra-japa is prescribed to cleanse the moral and karmic stain of a minor theft.

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

While framed as expiation, it relies on disciplined sacred recitation; such mantra-japa trains attention and reverence toward Vedic divinity, supporting a devotional life through regular remembrance and purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Kalpa (ritual procedure) and mantra-prayoga: bathing (śauca) and a fixed-count japa (8,000) as a rule-based remedial rite for a specific offense.