Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72

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

Devanagari script

अज्ञानात्पंचरात्रं तु संगमेभिः करोतियः । कायकृच्छ्रं चरेत्सम्यगन्यथा पतितो भवेत् ॥ ७२ ॥

Transliteration

ajñānātpaṃcarātraṃ tu saṃgamebhiḥ karotiyaḥ | kāyakṛcchraṃ caretsamyaganyathā patito bhavet || 72 ||

Translation

അജ്ഞാനത്താൽ സംഗമത്തിലിരിക്കെ പാഞ്ചരാത്രവ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചാൽ, അവൻ ശരിയായി ‘കായ-കൃച്ഛ്ര’ പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം ചെയ്യണം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ അവൻ പതിതനാകും.

Word by Word

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance / due to ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause: due to ignorance)

• पञ्चरात्रम्: for five nights
• पञ्चरात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च रात्राः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• सङ्गमेभिः: by/through contacts (associations)
• सङ्गमेभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• करोति: does/commits
• करोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कायकृच्छ्रम्: the bodily kṛcchra penance
• कायकृच्छ्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कायस्य कृच्छ्रम् = bodily kṛcchra penance)

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

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: properly)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: otherwise)

• पतितः: fallen (degraded)
• पतितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past participle: fallen)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instructing Narada on vrata-dharma and prāyaścitta)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Pañcarātra observance (pañcarātra-vrata)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It stresses that a sacred vow (vrata) must be protected by disciplined conduct; if a breach happens through ignorance, dharma provides a corrective path through prāyaścitta rather than denial, restoring ritual and inner purity.

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

Bhakti is supported by niyama (regulated practice). The verse implies that devotion expressed through vows requires restraint; when mistakes occur, sincere expiation preserves the integrity of worship and prevents spiritual decline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Kalpa (ritual procedure) through the rule-governed framework of vrata and prāyaścitta—specifically, prescribing Kāya-kṛcchra as the technical remedy for a conduct-violation during a vow.