Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

गोब्राह्मणगृहं दग्ध्वा मृतं चोद्वन्धनादिना । पाशं छित्वा तथा तस्य कृच्छ्रमेकं चरेद्दिजः ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

gobrāhmaṇagṛhaṃ dagdhvā mṛtaṃ codvandhanādinā | pāśaṃ chitvā tathā tasya kṛcchramekaṃ careddijaḥ || 26 ||

Translation

Ayant brûlé la maison (ou l’enclos) d’une vache ou d’un brāhmaṇa, ou ayant causé la mort par pendaison et autres moyens semblables, et ayant aussi tranché le nœud coulant employé, un « deux-fois-né » doit accomplir une pénitence de Kṛcchra.

Word by Word

• गो-ब्राह्मण-गृहम्: the house of a cow (i.e., cowshed) or of a brāhmaṇa
• गो-ब्राह्मण-गृहम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गोः/ब्राह्मणस्य गृहं)

• दग्ध्वा: having burned
• दग्ध्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• मृतम्: a dead body
• मृतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP) प्रयुक्तं संज्ञारूपेण (‘dead body’)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• उद्वन्धन-आदिना: by hanging and the like
• उद्वन्धन-आदिना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्वन्धन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उद्वन्धनं आदिः यस्य—‘hanging etc.’ as means)

• पाशम्: a noose
• पाशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• छित्वा: having cut
• छित्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकार (adverb)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रम्: the kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (व्रतनाम)

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brāhmaṇa etc.)
• द्विजः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma/prāyaścitta context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kṛcchra (one)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmana
• Go (Cow)

FAQs

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

It frames severe harms—burning the property of cows/brāhmaṇas and causing death by hanging—as grave adharma, and prescribes Kṛcchra as a purificatory discipline to restore moral and ritual fitness through regulated restraint.

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

Bhakti in the Purāṇic vision is not separate from dharma: devotion is safeguarded by non-violence, reverence to brāhmaṇas, and protection of cows; when violated, sincere repentance and prescribed penance support a return to sattva and devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharmaśāstra-style prāyaścitta procedure (a practical ritual-legal application allied to Kalpa/Vedāṅga traditions), specifying Kṛcchra as the remedial vrata for defined offences.