Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

पराको माससंसर्गे चांद्रमासत्रयेस्मृतम् । कृत्वा संगं तु षण्मासं चरेच्चांद्रायणद्वयम् ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

parāko māsasaṃsarge cāṃdramāsatrayesmṛtam | kṛtvā saṃgaṃ tu ṣaṇmāsaṃ careccāṃdrāyaṇadvayam || 74 ||

Translation

If unlawful intercourse persists for one month, the prescribed expiation is the Parāka penance for three lunar months. But if it continues for six months, one should undertake two Cāndrāyaṇa observances.

Word by Word

• पराकः: the Parāka (penance)
• पराकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रायश्चित्त-विशेषः (name of expiation)

• मास-संसर्गे: in (the case of) contact/association for a month
• मास-संसर्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मासस्य संसर्गः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चन्द्र-मास-त्रये: in (the case of) three lunar months
• चन्द्र-मास-त्रये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (चन्द्रमासानां त्रयम्)

• स्मृतम्: is stated (in tradition)
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्यय (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is declared/remembered’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• सङ्गम्: association/contact
• सङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• षण्मासम्: six months (duration)
• षण्मासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षट् मासाः यस्य/षट् मासान्)

• चरेत्: should perform/observe
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• चान्द्रायण-द्वयम्: two Cāndrāyaṇa (penances)
• चान्द्रायण-द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वे चान्द्रायणे)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on prāyaścitta)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Parāka; Cāndrāyaṇa (double)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames prāyaścitta as a disciplined method of self-restraint and purification, calibrating the severity of expiation to the duration of wrongdoing so that the practitioner can return to dharmic conduct.

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

While not directly describing bhakti, it supports a bhakti-oriented life by emphasizing moral rectification and bodily restraint—foundational disciplines that make steady worship and remembrance of the Divine possible.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relies on calendrical/ritual timing based on lunar months (cāndramāsa) and the lunar-regulated Cāndrāyaṇa vow, reflecting practical ritual computation and vrata procedure used in Dharma literature.