Shloka 20

The Description of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya): Avimukta, Kapālamocana, and Śiva’s Purification

Devanagari script

यानि कानि च पापानि महांति महतां गते । न तानि ब्रह्महत्यायाः समानीति मतिर्मम ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

yāni kāni ca pāpāni mahāṃti mahatāṃ gate | na tāni brahmahatyāyāḥ samānīti matirmama || 20 ||

Translation

മഹത്ത്വം പ്രാപിച്ചവനേ! എത്ര വലിയ പാപങ്ങളുണ്ടായാലും, എന്റെ ബുദ്ധിയിൽ ബ്രഹ്മഹത്യയ്ക്കു തുല്യം ഒന്നുമില്ല।

Word by Word

• yāni: which (things)
• yāni: Karma/Viṣaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Plural

• kāni: any
• kāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indefinite/interrogative pronoun used as 'any'; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya conjunction (समुच्चय)

• pāpāni: sins
• pāpāni: Viṣaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (पाप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Plural

• mahānti: great
• mahānti: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (महत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Plural; qualifying pāpāni

• mahatām: of the great (persons)
• mahatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (महत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (or common), Genitive (6), Plural

• gate: when (one) has gone / in the state of having gone
• gate: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gata (गत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular; 'in the case of/when (one) has gone' (contextual)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• tāni: those
• tāni: Karma/Viṣaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Plural

• brahmahatyāyāḥ: of brahma-murder (killing a Brahmin)
• brahmahatyāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-hatyā (ब्रह्महत्या प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष: brahma + hatyā), Feminine, Genitive (6), Singular

• samāni: equal
• samāni: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāna (समान प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Plural; predicate adjective

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyaparisaṃkhyā (उद्धरणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति)

• matiḥ: thought, opinion
• matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (मति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1), Singular

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6), Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It ranks brahmahatyā among the gravest transgressions (mahāpātaka), emphasizing the exceptional weight of harming a bearer of Vedic knowledge and the need for strong purification through dharma, repentance, and sacred means.

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

By highlighting the heaviest burden of pāpa, the verse implicitly points the seeker toward sincere surrender, inner transformation, and devotion-supported purification—core themes in Narada Purana’s dharma and tirtha narratives.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects dharma-śāstric classification of sins (mahāpātaka vs. lesser faults) and the applied framework of prāyaścitta (expiatory discipline), rather than a specific technical Vedanga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.