Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

गत्वाकृच्छ्रद्वयं कुर्यात्सगोत्रामभिगम्य च । अमूषु पितृगोत्रासु मातृगोत्रगतासु च ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

gatvākṛcchradvayaṃ kuryātsagotrāmabhigamya ca | amūṣu pitṛgotrāsu mātṛgotragatāsu ca || 35 ||

Translation

しかるべき贖罪の地に赴き、同一ゴートラの女と交わったなら—父系の諸ゴートラであれ、母系ゴートラに属するものであれ—「二重のクリッチュラ」を修すべし。

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• कृच्छ्र-द्वयम्: the twofold Kṛcchra (penance)
• कृच्छ्र-द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कृच्छ्रम् एव द्वयम्)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स-गोत्राम्: a woman of the same gotra
• स-गोत्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (समानगोत्राम्)

• अभिगम्य: having approached
• अभिगम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having approached)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अमूषु: in those (cases/instances)
• अमूषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमुष् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (प्रयोगे), सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पितृ-गोत्रासु: in the paternal gotras
• पितृ-गोत्रासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पितॄणां गोत्रेषु)

• मातृ-गोत्र-गतासु: (women) who have entered the maternal gotra
• मातृ-गोत्र-गतासु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मातृ + गोत्र + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मातुः गोत्रे गताः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kṛcchra-dvaya (double Kṛcchra)

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 frames Dharma as a restorative discipline: when a serious transgression of lineage-based marriage/sexual norms occurs, a defined prāyaścitta (double Kṛcchra) is prescribed to purify conduct, intention, and social order.

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

While not directly teaching bhakti practices, it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing ethical purification (śuddhi) through penance—seen as necessary groundwork for steady worship and inner devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied Dharma-śāstra reasoning tied to lineage (gotra) rules—practical ritual jurisprudence (prayascitta-vidhi) rather than a technical Vedanga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.