Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

द्विजोपनयने विप्र मुख्यकालव्यतिक्रमे । द्वादशाब्दं चरेत्कृच्छ्रं पश्चाज्चांद्रायणं तथा । सांतपनद्वयं चैव कृत्वा कर्म समाचरेत् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

dvijopanayane vipra mukhyakālavyatikrame | dvādaśābdaṃ caretkṛcchraṃ paścājcāṃdrāyaṇaṃ tathā | sāṃtapanadvayaṃ caiva kṛtvā karma samācaret || 15 ||

Translation

ಹೇ ವಿಪ್ರ! ದ್ವಿಜನ ಉಪನಯನದ ಮುಖ್ಯಕಾಲ ತಪ್ಪಿದರೆ, ಹನ್ನೆರಡು ವರ್ಷ ಕೃಚ್ಛ್ರ ಪ್ರಾಯಶ್ಚಿತ್ತ ಆಚರಿಸಬೇಕು; ನಂತರ ಚಾಂದ್ರಾಯಣ ವ್ರತವನ್ನೂ ಮಾಡಿ, ಎರಡು ಸಾಂತಪನ ಪ್ರಾಯಶ್ಚಿತ್ತಗಳನ್ನು ನೆರವೇರಿಸಿ, ಆಮೇಲೆ ವಿಧಿವತ್ತಾಗಿ ಆ ಕರ್ಮವನ್ನು ನಡೆಸಬೇಕು।

Word by Word

• द्विजोपनयने: in the upanayana of a twice-born
• द्विजोपनयने: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उपनयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजस्य उपनयनम्)

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मुख्यकालव्यतिक्रमे: upon transgression of the principal time (limit)
• मुख्यकालव्यतिक्रमे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख्य + काल + व्यतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मुख्यः कालः तस्य व्यतिक्रमः)

• द्वादशाब्दम्: for twelve years
• द्वादशाब्दम्: कालपरिमाण (Duration/measure)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वादश अब्दाः = twelve years) used adverbially as duration

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृच्छ्रम्: the Kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; name of a penance

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: कालाधिकरण (Adverbial time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालाव्यय (adverb of time)

• चान्द्रायणम्: the Cāndrāyaṇa (lunar) penance
• चान्द्रायणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; name of a penance

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकाराव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/also’)

• सांतपनद्वयम्: a pair of Sāṃtapana (penances)
• सांतपनद्वयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांतपन + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सांतपनस्य द्वयम्: two Sāṃtapana penances)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done’

• कर्म: the rite/duty
• कर्म: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should duly perform
• समाचरेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on Dharma and Prāyaścitta)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Cāndrāyaṇa; Kṛcchra; Sāntapana (two times)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It frames missed saṃskāras as a dharmic lapse that can be purified through disciplined prāyaścitta, restoring ritual eligibility and inner purity before completing the initiation.

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

While primarily ritual-legal, it supports bhakti indirectly: purification and right conduct (śuddhi and niyama) are presented as foundations that stabilize a devotee’s life so worship and mantra practice can proceed without impediment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and its prāyaścitta framework are central, with time-keeping and observance patterns linked to lunar discipline in the Cāndrāyaṇa vow.