Shloka 38
नरक-निर्णयः, पाप-कर्म-फल-व्यवस्था, प्रायश्चित्त-क्रमः, तथा हरि-स्मरण-परमत्वम्
पापे गुरूणि गुरुणि स्वल्पान्य् अल्पे च तद्विदः प्रायश्चित्तानि मैत्रेय जगुः स्वायंभुवादयः
pāpe gurūṇi guruṇi svalpāny alpe ca tadvidaḥ prāyaścittāni maitreya jaguḥ svāyaṃbhuvādayaḥ
For grave sins, the wise prescribe grave expiations; and for minor faults, minor ones. Thus, O Maitreya, the knowers of dharma—beginning with Svāyambhuva (Manu) and others—have declared it.
Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Graduated prāyaścitta: heavier atonement for heavier sin, as taught by dharma-knowers like Svāyambhuva Manu
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Atonement follows the principle of proportionality: grave wrongdoing requires grave expiation, and minor faults require minor remedies, as established by dharma authorities beginning with Svāyambhuva Manu.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Adopt proportional self-correction—acknowledge severity, repair harm, and choose disciplined remedies rather than blanket guilt or denial.
Vishishtadvaita: Ethical order (dharma) is a real, divinely grounded discipline within the Lord’s cosmos, shaping the soul’s journey toward Him.
FAQs
This verse states that expiation must match the weight of the offence—severe sins require severe remedies and minor faults require minor ones—reflecting a dharmic principle of moral proportionality.
He grounds them in the declarations of recognized dharma-experts, specifically naming Svāyambhuva Manu and other ancient authorities as the source of these graded prescriptions.
Even while discussing legal-ethical details, the Purāṇa frames dharma and karmic purification as part of the cosmic order ultimately sustained by Vishnu, the supreme ruler who upholds moral law across cycles of time.