Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 73

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

Devanagari script

द्वादशाहेतु संसर्गे महासांतपनं स्मृतम् । संगंकृत्वार्द्धमासं तु द्वादशाहमुपावसेत् ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

dvādaśāhetu saṃsarge mahāsāṃtapanaṃ smṛtam | saṃgaṃkṛtvārddhamāsaṃ tu dvādaśāhamupāvaset || 73 ||

Translation

لِمخالطةٍ تدوم اثني عشر يومًا ذُكِرَت كفّارةُ «مها-سانتابانا». وبعد الالتزام بالنظام المقرر نصفَ شهرٍ، فليصم اثني عشر يومًا.

Word by Word

• द्वादशाह-हेतु: having a twelve-day (duration) as cause/occasion
• द्वादशाह-हेतु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशाह + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्वादशाहः हेतु: having a 12-day cause/occasion)

• संसर्गे: in association/contact
• संसर्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• महासांतपनम्: the great Sāṃtapana penance
• महासांतपनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + सांतपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् सांतपनम्)

• स्मृतम्: is prescribed/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (प्रातिपदिक; √स्मृ क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) — ‘is remembered/declared’

• सङ्गम्: association/contact
• सङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• अर्धमासम्: half a month
• अर्धमासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मासस्य अर्धम्)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• द्वादशाहम्: for twelve days
• द्वादशाहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश अहानि)

• उपावसेत्: should fast/observe a fast
• उपावसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma–prāyaścitta context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahā-sāṃtapana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: vira (heroic)

FAQs

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

It frames purification as a structured, time-bound discipline: when impurity is linked to prolonged contact, the text prescribes a correspondingly rigorous prāyaścitta (Mahā-sāntapana) culminating in sustained upavāsa to restore ritual and inner clarity.

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

While primarily legal-ritual in tone, it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing self-restraint (niyama) and purification—conditions traditionally considered supportive for steady remembrance and worship of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: the verse gives a rule-based prāyaścitta sequence (a defined regimen plus a twelve-day fast) keyed to a measurable condition (twelve-day saṃsarga).