Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

अज्ञानाद्वा तु यो भुक्त्वा चाण्डालान्नं कथंचन । गोमूत्रयावकाहारो मासार्द्धेन विशुद्ध्यति ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

ajñānādvā tu yo bhuktvā cāṇḍālānnaṃ kathaṃcana | gomūtrayāvakāhāro māsārddhena viśuddhyati || 25 ||

Translation

Mais si quelqu’un, par ignorance, en vient d’une manière ou d’une autre à manger la nourriture d’un caṇḍāla, il se purifie en une demi-lune en ne vivant que d’urine de vache et de yāvaka (mets ou bouillie d’orge).

Word by Word

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance / unknowingly
• अज्ञानात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• चाण्डाल-अन्नम्: food of a caṇḍāla
• चाण्डाल-अन्नम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (cāṇḍālasya annam)

• कथंचन: in any way / somehow
• कथंचन: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘somehow/at all’)

• गो-मूत्र-यावक-आहारः: one whose diet is cow-urine and yāvaka-gruel
• गो-मूत्र-यावक-आहारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + यावक (प्रातिपदिक) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गोमूत्रं यावकं च आहारः—diet consisting of cow-urine and yāvaka)

• मास-अर्द्धेन: by (observing for) half a month
• मास-अर्द्धेन: करण/अधिकरण (Instrument/Measure of time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मासस्य अर्द्धम्)

• विशुद्ध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुद्ध्यति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a prāyaścitta context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It distinguishes accidental impurity from deliberate transgression and prescribes a time-bound prāyaścitta (expiatory regimen) to restore ritual purity (śauca) and eligibility for dharmic practices.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti by emphasizing purification and discipline: maintaining śauca through prāyaścitta is presented as a supportive foundation for worship, japa, and other devotional observances.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) in practice—specifically prāyaścitta-vidhi—by giving a concrete purification protocol (dietary rule and duration) for a defined impurity.