Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

दीक्षीतं ब्राह्मणं हत्वा द्विगुणं व्रतमाचरेत् । आचार्यादिवधे चैव व्रतमुक्तं चतुर्गुणम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

dīkṣītaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ hatvā dviguṇaṃ vratamācaret | ācāryādivadhe caiva vratamuktaṃ caturguṇam || 16 ||

Translation

Ayant tué un Brāhmaṇa initié, qu’on accomplisse le vœu expiatoire prescrit en double mesure. Et dans le cas du meurtre du maître (ācārya) et d’autres semblables, le vœu est déclaré quadruple.

Word by Word

• दीक्षितम्: one who is initiated
• दीक्षितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund)

• द्विगुणम्: twofold
• द्विगुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ गुणौ यस्य/द्विगुणम्)

• व्रतम्: vow/penance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• आचार्यादिवधे: in the killing of a teacher etc.
• आचार्यादिवधे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य + आदि + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आचार्यादीनां वधे)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic: just/indeed)

• व्रतम्: the vow
• व्रतम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject of उक्तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• उक्तम्: is stated
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चतुर्गुणम्: fourfold
• चतुर्गुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (contextual), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (fourfold)

Speaker

Sage Nārada (teaching prāyaścitta-dharma to the Sanatkumāra tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: brahmahavrata (implied as the baseline expiatory vow)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Ācārya

FAQs

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

It teaches the principle of graded moral accountability: harming highly revered, spiritually consecrated persons demands proportionately stronger prāyaścitta, emphasizing reverence for sacred life and the seriousness of guru-related offenses.

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

While primarily about dharma and expiation, it supports bhakti indirectly by insisting on purification after grave wrongdoing; a devotee’s life is safeguarded by repentance, restraint, and restoring dharmic order before deeper worship and japa bear fruit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: the verse uses the technical framework of vrata and prāyaścitta with quantified intensification (dviguṇa/caturguṇa), guiding how penances are scaled in dharma-śāstra style observances.