Shloka 3

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

जलार्द्रवासाः प्रयतो ध्यात्वा नारायणं हरिम् / ब्रह्महत्याव्रतं चाथ चरेत् तत्पापशान्तये

Transliteration

jalārdravāsāḥ prayato dhyātvā nārāyaṇaṃ harim / brahmahatyāvrataṃ cātha caret tatpāpaśāntaye

Translation

In wasserfeuchten Gewändern, in Zucht und Selbstbeherrschung, soll man über Nārāyaṇa, Hari meditieren; und dann das zur Sühne der brahmahatyā (Tötung eines Brāhmaṇa) vorgeschriebene Gelübde (vrata) vollziehen, um jene Schuld zu besänftigen.

Word by Word

• jala-ārdra-vāsāḥ: wearing wet clothes
• jala-ārdra-vāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + ārdra (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (वासस्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā bahuvacana; bahuvrīhi: jalenārdraṃ vāsaḥ yasya/yeṣām (wearing water-wet garments)

• prayataḥ: self-controlled, purified
• prayataḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prayata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā ekavacana; 'disciplined, purified' (agrees with implied practitioner)

• dhyātvā: having meditated
• dhyātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (ध्यै-धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable verbal form; prior action

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object of dhyātvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā ekavacana

• harim: Hari
• harim: Karma (कर्म/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā ekavacana; in apposition to nārāyaṇam

• brahma-hatyā-vratam: the vow (penance) for brahmin-slaying
• brahma-hatyā-vratam: Karma (कर्म/Object of caret)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + hatyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: brahmahatyāyāḥ prāyaścitta-vratam

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अथ)
• Form: Avyaya; connective particle

• caret: should practice/undertake
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (चर्-धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/Optative), Prathama-puruṣa ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• tat-pāpa-śāntaye: for the pacification of that sin
• tat-pāpa-śāntaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Purpose; dative of purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Caturthī (चतुर्थी) ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: tasya pāpasya śāntiḥ (pacification of that sin)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Hari

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It presents the Supreme as Nārāyaṇa/Hari—the inner refuge whose remembrance and meditation purify the practitioner, implying that sin is ultimately calmed by turning consciousness toward the indwelling Lord.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes dhyāna (focused meditation) coupled with bodily discipline (austerity such as water-moistened clothing) and vrata (regulated vow), aligning outer restraint with inner recollection as a prāyaścitta method.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Though naming Nārāyaṇa/Hari explicitly, the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats expiation as effective when grounded in devotion and yogic discipline toward the Supreme—often articulated across the text through complementary Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava idioms rather than sectarian opposition.