Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16
Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas and the Sin-destroying Power of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa
दीक्षीतं ब्राह्मणं हत्वा द्विगुणं व्रतमाचरेत् । आचार्यादिवधे चैव व्रतमुक्तं चतुर्गुणम् ॥ १६ ॥
dīkṣītaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ hatvā dviguṇaṃ vratamācaret | ācāryādivadhe caiva vratamuktaṃ caturguṇam || 16 ||
Having killed an initiated Brāhmaṇa, one should perform the prescribed expiatory vow in double measure. And in the case of killing one’s teacher (ācārya) and the like, the vow is declared to be fourfold.
Sage Nārada (teaching prāyaścitta-dharma to the Sanatkumāra tradition)
Vrata: brahmahavrata (implied as the baseline expiatory vow)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches the principle of graded moral accountability: harming highly revered, spiritually consecrated persons demands proportionately stronger prāyaścitta, emphasizing reverence for sacred life and the seriousness of guru-related offenses.
While primarily about dharma and expiation, it supports bhakti indirectly by insisting on purification after grave wrongdoing; a devotee’s life is safeguarded by repentance, restraint, and restoring dharmic order before deeper worship and japa bear fruit.
Ritual discipline (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: the verse uses the technical framework of vrata and prāyaścitta with quantified intensification (dviguṇa/caturguṇa), guiding how penances are scaled in dharma-śāstra style observances.