Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

वैश्यायां पितृपत्न्यां तु षडब्दं व्रतमाचरेत् । गत्वा शूद्वां गुरोर्भार्यां त्रिवर्षं व्रतमाचरेत् ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

vaiśyāyāṃ pitṛpatnyāṃ tu ṣaḍabdaṃ vratamācaret | gatvā śūdvāṃ gurorbhāryāṃ trivarṣaṃ vratamācaret || 64 ||

Translation

Si (la ofensa concierne a) una mujer Vaiśya —especialmente si es la esposa del propio padre— uno debe observar un voto de expiación durante seis años. Si (concierne a) una mujer Śūdra —particularmente la esposa del propio gurú— uno debe observar un voto durante tres años.

Word by Word

• vaiśyāyām: in/with a Vaiśya woman
• vaiśyāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of circumstance)

• pitṛ-patnyām: in/with the father’s wife
• pitṛ-patnyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘पितुः पत्नी’; अधिकरण

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चय-भेदक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• ṣaṭ-abdam: for six years
• ṣaṭ-abdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘षडब्दः’ (six-year); ‘व्रतम्’ विशेषण

• vratam: vow/penance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• ācaret: should perform/practise
• ācaret: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√car (चर्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; विधि/आज्ञार्थ

• gatvā: having gone to/approached
• gatvā: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having gone/approached’; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• śūdrām: a Śūdra woman
• śūdrām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गमनस्य कर्म

• guroḥ: of the teacher
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• bhāryām: wife
• bhāryām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘गुरोः’ इति षष्ठीसम्बन्धेन विशिष्टा; कर्म

• tri-varṣam: for three years
• tri-varṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘त्रिवर्षः’ (three-year); ‘व्रतम्’ विशेषण

• vratam: vow/penance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• ācaret: should perform
• ācaret: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√car (चर्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma/expiation context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Guru
• Pitṛ (father)

FAQs

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

It frames prāyaścitta (expiation) as a disciplined, time-bound vrata meant to restore dharma after a serious transgression involving protected relationships (father’s wife, guru’s wife).

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

While not directly teaching bhakti practices, it supports a bhakti-aligned life by insisting on ethical restraint and corrective vows—purifying conduct so devotion can be stable and sincere.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline and dharma-śāstric procedure: the verse specifies vrata durations as a practical rule of prāyaścitta (applied ritual law), rather than a grammar/astrology teaching.