Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 117
Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy
यस्तु व्रतानि संगृह्य असमाप्य परित्यज्येत् । सोऽसिपत्रेऽनुभूयार्तिं हीनाङगोजायते भुवि ॥ ११७ ॥
yastu vratāni saṃgṛhya asamāpya parityajyet | so'sipatre'nubhūyārtiṃ hīnāṅagojāyate bhuvi || 117 ||
But whoever undertakes sacred vows (vrata) and abandons them before completing them suffers torment in the Asipatra hell and is later born on earth with a defective body, with limbs missing or impaired.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vrata-Dharma context)
Vrata: vrata (general; vow-observance)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It teaches vrata-niyama (discipline in vows): beginning a religious observance creates a moral and karmic commitment, and abandoning it mid-way brings painful karmic results, emphasizing steadiness (dhṛti) and sincerity in dharma.
Bhakti is not only emotion but also faithful follow-through in promised worship and observances; the verse warns that inconsistent practice undermines devotional integrity and leads to adverse consequences.
Ritual procedure and niyama (prayoga) are implied: once a vrata is initiated, it should be properly completed with the prescribed sequence and conclusion, reflecting the applied discipline central to Vedic ritual practice.