Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63
Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds
प्रायश्चित्तं चिकित्त्सां च ज्योतिषे धर्मनिर्णयम् । विनाशास्त्रेण यो ब्रूयात्तमाहुर्ब्रह्यघातकम् ॥ ६४ ॥
prāyaścittaṃ cikittsāṃ ca jyotiṣe dharmanirṇayam | vināśāstreṇa yo brūyāttamāhurbrahyaghātakam || 64 ||
អ្នកណាបង្រៀនព្រាយស្ចិត្ត (ការសងបាប) ការព្យាបាល និងការកំណត់ធម៌តាមជោតិសាស្ត្រ ដោយយកទ្រឹស្តីបំផ្លាញដែលបង្កគ្រោះថ្នាក់មកអះអាង—គេហៅអ្នកនោះថា អ្នកសម្លាប់ព្រហ្ម (ជាបាបធ្ងន់)។
Narada (in dialogue context with Sanatkumara and the Kumaras)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It warns that sacred knowledge meant to protect life and uphold dharma becomes spiritually ruinous when used through harmful, destructive intent—such misuse is treated as a gravest offense.
Bhakti is grounded in compassion and dharmic conduct; the verse implies that a devotee must not weaponize śāstra (including Jyotiṣa or ritual expiations) to harm others, since devotion must express itself as protection and right guidance.
Jyotiṣa (a Vedāṅga) is referenced, specifically cautioning against using astrological reasoning to decide dharma in a destructive way, and it also touches on proper application of prāyaścitta and cikitsā.