Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

दैवयोगादतिक्रांते गर्भाधानादिकर्मणि । कर्तव्यः पादकृच्छ्रो वै चौले त्वर्द्धं प्रकल्पयेत् ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

daivayogādatikrāṃte garbhādhānādikarmaṇi | kartavyaḥ pādakṛcchro vai caule tvarddhaṃ prakalpayet || 10 ||

Translation

Wenn infolge eines unabwendbaren Fügung des Schicksals die Saṃskāras, beginnend mit garbhādhāna, versäumt oder überschritten wurden, ist gewiss die Buße namens pāda‑kṛcchra zu vollziehen; im Falle der cūḍā‑karma (Tonsur) jedoch ist nur die Hälfte dieser Buße festzusetzen.

Word by Word

• दैवयोगात्: due to destiny/inevitable circumstance
• दैवयोगात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव-योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; दैवेन योगः इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (ablative: due to fate/inevitable circumstance)

• अतिक्रान्ते: when (the time) has passed
• अतिक्रान्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (कर्मणि इति सह) ‘when (it) has been overstepped’

• गर्भाधानादिकर्मणि: in the rites beginning with garbhādhāna
• गर्भाधानादिकर्मणि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भाधान-आदि-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; गर्भाधानं आदिः यस्य तत् (गर्भाधानादि) + कर्मणि; locative: in rites beginning with garbhādhāna

• कर्तव्यः: should be performed
• कर्तव्यः: विधेय (Predicate/vidheya)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done/should be performed)

• पादकृच्छ्रः: the pāda-kṛcchra (half penance)
• पादकृच्छ्रः: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied with कर्तव्यः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद-कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पादेन (अर्धेन) कृच्छ्रः इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (a half-kṛcchra penance)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle: indeed)

• चौले: in the tonsure ceremony
• चौले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative: in/at the tonsure rite)

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• अर्धम्: half
• अर्धम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (object)

• प्रकल्पयेत्: should prescribe/arrange
• प्रकल्पयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (should prescribe/arrange)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma/prāyaścitta context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches that when essential life-cycle sacraments (saṃskāras) are missed due to unavoidable circumstances, dharma provides a restorative path through prāyaścitta—so ritual order and inner purity can be re-established without despair.

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

While primarily ritual-legal, it supports bhakti indirectly by removing obstacles of guilt and ineligibility: expiation restores one’s readiness for worship, vrata, and steady devotion through disciplined correction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/Smārta ritual procedure is implied: it classifies saṃskāras (garbhādhāna, cūḍā, etc.) and prescribes proportional prāyaścitta (full pāda-kṛcchra, or half for cūḍā) when rites are omitted.