Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

वैश्यायां पितृपत्न्यां तु षडब्दं व्रतमाचरेत् । गत्वा शूद्वां गुरोर्भार्यां त्रिवर्षं व्रतमाचरेत् ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

vaiśyāyāṃ pitṛpatnyāṃ tu ṣaḍabdaṃ vratamācaret | gatvā śūdvāṃ gurorbhāryāṃ trivarṣaṃ vratamācaret || 64 ||

Translation

Wenn (das Vergehen) eine Vaiśya-Frau betrifft – insbesondere eine, die die Ehefrau des eigenen Vaters ist – sollte man sechs Jahre lang ein Sühnegelübde ablegen. Wenn es eine Śūdra-Frau betrifft – insbesondere die Ehefrau des eigenen Gurus – sollte man drei Jahre lang ein Gelübde ablegen.

Word by Word

• vaiśyāyām: in/with a Vaiśya woman
• vaiśyāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of circumstance)

• pitṛ-patnyām: in/with the father’s wife
• pitṛ-patnyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘पितुः पत्नी’; अधिकरण

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चय-भेदक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• ṣaṭ-abdam: for six years
• ṣaṭ-abdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘षडब्दः’ (six-year); ‘व्रतम्’ विशेषण

• vratam: vow/penance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• ācaret: should perform/practise
• ācaret: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√car (चर्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; विधि/आज्ञार्थ

• gatvā: having gone to/approached
• gatvā: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having gone/approached’; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• śūdrām: a Śūdra woman
• śūdrām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गमनस्य कर्म

• guroḥ: of the teacher
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• bhāryām: wife
• bhāryām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘गुरोः’ इति षष्ठीसम्बन्धेन विशिष्टा; कर्म

• tri-varṣam: for three years
• tri-varṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘त्रिवर्षः’ (three-year); ‘व्रतम्’ विशेषण

• vratam: vow/penance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• ācaret: should perform
• ācaret: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√car (चर्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma/expiation context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Guru
• Pitṛ (father)

FAQs

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

It frames prāyaścitta (expiation) as a disciplined, time-bound vrata meant to restore dharma after a serious transgression involving protected relationships (father’s wife, guru’s wife).

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

While not directly teaching bhakti practices, it supports a bhakti-aligned life by insisting on ethical restraint and corrective vows—purifying conduct so devotion can be stable and sincere.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline and dharma-śāstric procedure: the verse specifies vrata durations as a practical rule of prāyaścitta (applied ritual law), rather than a grammar/astrology teaching.