Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

संपूर्णस्य सुवर्णस्य स्तेयं कृत्वा मुनीश्वर । ब्रह्महत्याव्रतं कुर्याद्द्वादशाब्दं समाहितः ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

saṃpūrṇasya suvarṇasya steyaṃ kṛtvā munīśvara | brahmahatyāvrataṃ kuryāddvādaśābdaṃ samāhitaḥ || 50 ||

Translation

O großer Weiser, wer eine volle Menge Gold gestohlen hat, soll mit gesammeltetem Geist zwölf Jahre lang das Sühnegelübde auf sich nehmen, das für die Sünde des Brahmanenmordes vorgeschrieben ist.

Word by Word

• संपूर्णस्य: of complete/whole
• संपूर्णस्य: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संपूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘सुवर्णस्य’

• सुवर्णस्य: of gold
• सुवर्णस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• स्तेयम्: theft
• स्तेयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘कृत्वा’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/ल्यबन्त), अव्ययभावः; ‘having done’

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) — ‘मुनीनां ईश्वरः’

• ब्रह्म-हत्या-व्रतम्: the brahma-hatyā vow (expiation)
• ब्रह्म-हत्या-व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘ब्रह्महत्यायाः व्रतम्’ (expiatory vow for brahma-hatyā)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• द्वादश-अब्दम्: for twelve years
• द्वादश-अब्दम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/Time extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः — ‘द्वादश अब्दाः’ → ‘द्वादशाब्दम्’ (a period of twelve years)

• समाहितः: composed/collected (in mind)
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agent’s state)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: brahmahatyā-vrata (as expiation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It equates the theft of a full measure of gold with an extremely grave moral breach, prescribing a long, disciplined expiation to restore inner purity and social-religious order (dharma).

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes repentance, self-restraint, and purification as foundations that support sincere devotion; ethical cleansing is presented as necessary for steady spiritual practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual and dharma procedure) is implied through the specification of a formal vrata and its duration, reflecting the codified methods of prāyaścitta used in dharma-śāstra traditions.