Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रो पोषणाच्छुद्ध्ये त्पंचगव्याशनाद्विज । स्नानदानजपादौ च भोजनादौ च नारद ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

trirātro poṣaṇācchuddhye tpaṃcagavyāśanādvija | snānadānajapādau ca bhojanādau ca nārada || 86 ||

Translation

হে দ্বিজ, তিন রাত্রি সংযত আহার-নিয়মে বা পঞ্চগব্য সেবনে শুদ্ধি হয়। হে নারদ, স্নান, দান, জপ এবং ভোজনাদি আচরণেও এই শুদ্ধি-বিধি প্রযোজ্য।

Word by Word

• trirātraḥ: a three-night (observance)
• trirātraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu (द्विगु) ‘three nights’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana (as a period/observance)

• poṣaṇāt: by nourishment/feeding
• poṣaṇāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: poṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana; cause/source sense

• śuddhyet: should become purified
• śuddhyet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śudh (शुध्)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• pañcagavya-āśanāt: by eating pañcagavya
• pañcagavya-āśanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca + gavya + āśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘eating of pañcagavya’; Napuṃsakaliṅga, Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana

• dvija: O twice-born
• dvija: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana

• snāna-dāna-japa-ādau: in bathing, giving, recitation, etc.
• snāna-dāna-japa-ādau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna + dāna + japa + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (Itaretara) Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) with ādi ‘etc.’; Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; locative of domain

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-निपात)

• bhojana-ādau: in eating and the like
• bhojana-ādau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘bhojana-ādi’ = eating etc.; Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• nārada: O Nārada
• nārada: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma/prāyaścitta context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: trirātra (three-night) śuddhi-observance (as prāyaścitta)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It presents practical prāyaścitta (expiatory) tools—regulated fasting/light sustenance and pañcagavya—linking inner purity with disciplined conduct in bathing, charity, mantra-japa, and food.

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

By emphasizing cleanliness, restraint, and sacred routine (snāna, dāna, japa), it supports bhakti as a lived discipline where purity of body and habit strengthens steadiness in worship and remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa/Vedic ritual practice: concrete rules for śauca (purity), prāyaścitta, and āhāra-niyama (dietary regulation) as part of dharma-oriented observance.