Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44
Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas and the Sin-destroying Power of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa
सुवर्णसहृशेष्वेषु प्रायश्चितार्द्धमुच्यते । त्रसरेणुसमं हेम हृत्वा कुर्यात्समाहितः ॥ ४४ ॥
suvarṇasahṛśeṣveṣu prāyaścitārddhamucyate | trasareṇusamaṃ hema hṛtvā kuryātsamāhitaḥ || 44 ||
In matters involving objects comparable in value to gold, the prescribed expiation is declared to be half (of that for stealing gold). Even if one has stolen gold only equal to a “trasareṇu,” a minute speck, one should perform the ordained penance with a composed and attentive mind.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the rules of prāyaścitta)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches proportional atonement: even a minute act of theft is spiritually weighty and must be addressed through disciplined prāyaścitta performed with inner composure (samāhita).
While not directly teaching bhakti, it supports devotional life by emphasizing ethical purity—removing the stain of wrongdoing through sincere expiation so the mind becomes fit for remembrance and worship.
It reflects Dharmaśāstra-style ritual jurisprudence: graded penances and traditional measures (like trasareṇu) used to quantify fault and prescribe appropriate prāyaścitta.