Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

गोन्घस्य केचिदिच्छन्ति केचिच्चैवावकीर्णिनः । दण्डादूर्ध्वं प्रहारेण यस्तु गां विनिपातयेत् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

gonghasya kecidicchanti keciccaivāvakīrṇinaḥ | daṇḍādūrdhvaṃ prahāreṇa yastu gāṃ vinipātayet || 38 ||

Translation

Einige setzen für den Töter einer Kuh die Sühne namens goṅghā fest; andere setzen die Sühne für einen avakīrṇin fest. Wer aber eine Kuh über das erlaubte Maß hinaus schlägt, so dass sie zu Boden stürzt, lädt schwere Schuld auf sich und hat die genannte Sühne zu vollziehen.

Word by Word

• गोन्घस्य: of (the offence called) goṅgha
• गोन्घस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोन्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (अनिश्चित-समूहवाचक)

• इच्छन्ति: desire / prescribe
• इच्छन्ति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

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

• एव: indeed / only
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अवकीर्णिनः: those who are degraded / fallen
• अवकीर्णिनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवकीर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• दण्डात्: from the staff
• दण्डात्: अपादान (Apadāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: अधिकरण (Adverbial locus/direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्वम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: दिशा-अव्यय (adverb of direction)

• प्रहारेण: by a blow
• प्रहारेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• तु: but / however
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• विनिपातयेत्: should cause to fall / strike down
• विनिपातयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद, णिच् (causative sense: ‘cause to fall’)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Dharma-teaching section as received in the Purāṇic transmission)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Gau (Cow)

FAQs

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

It frames cow-harm as a grave dharmic breach requiring prāyaścitta, reinforcing ahiṃsā and protection of life as foundational to purity and spiritual progress.

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

By emphasizing restraint and compassion—key virtues that support sattva and make one fit for worship and steady devotion, even though the verse itself is stated in legal-prāyaścitta terms.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharmaśāstra-style ritual jurisprudence—how transgressions are graded and matched with expiations (prāyaścitta-vicāra), a practical application allied with Kalpa (ritual/legal procedure).