Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47
Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas and the Sin-destroying Power of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa
स्नात्वा च विधिवज्जप्याद्गायत्र्यष्टसहस्त्रकम् । यवमात्रसुवर्णस्य स्तेयाच्छुद्धो भवेद्दिजः ॥ ४७ ॥
snātvā ca vidhivajjapyādgāyatryaṣṭasahastrakam | yavamātrasuvarṇasya steyācchuddho bhaveddijaḥ || 47 ||
Nachdem man rituell gebadet und dann die Gāyatrī vorschriftsgemäß als Japa achttausendmal rezitiert hat, wird ein Dvija (Zweimalgeborener) von der Sünde gereinigt, Gold im Gewicht eines einzigen Gerstenkorns gestohlen zu haben.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It presents prāyaścitta as a restorative discipline: ritual purity through snāna and focused mantra-japa is prescribed to cleanse the moral and karmic stain of a minor theft.
While framed as expiation, it relies on disciplined sacred recitation; such mantra-japa trains attention and reverence toward Vedic divinity, supporting a devotional life through regular remembrance and purification.
It highlights Kalpa (ritual procedure) and mantra-prayoga: bathing (śauca) and a fixed-count japa (8,000) as a rule-based remedial rite for a specific offense.