Shloka 38

नरक-निर्णयः, पाप-कर्म-फल-व्यवस्था, प्रायश्चित्त-क्रमः, तथा हरि-स्मरण-परमत्वम्

Devanagari script

पापे गुरूणि गुरुणि स्वल्पान्य् अल्पे च तद्विदः प्रायश्चित्तानि मैत्रेय जगुः स्वायंभुवादयः

Transliteration

pāpe gurūṇi guruṇi svalpāny alpe ca tadvidaḥ prāyaścittāni maitreya jaguḥ svāyaṃbhuvādayaḥ

Translation

ഗുരുതര പാപങ്ങൾക്ക് ഗുരുതര പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം, ചെറു തെറ്റുകൾക്ക് ചെറുത്—ഹേ മൈത്രേയ, സ്വായംഭുവ (മനു) മുതലായ ധർമ്മജ്ഞർ ഇങ്ങനെ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• पापे: in/with regard to sin
• पापे: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular

• गुरूणि: heavy, grave
• गुरूणि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — Nom./Acc. plural; विशेषण

• गुरुणि: in a grave (one)
• गुरुणि: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular; ‘गुरुणि (पापे)’ = in a grave (sin)

• स्वल्पानि: small, minor
• स्वल्पानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — Nom./Acc. plural; विशेषण

• अल्पे: in a minor (one)
• अल्पे: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular; ‘अल्पे (पापे)’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चय (conjunction: “and”)

• तद्विदः: knowers of that (i.e., experts)
• तद्विदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + विद् (प्रातिपदिक: तद्विद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• प्रायश्चित्तानि: expiations
• प्रायश्चित्तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• जगुः: said, declared
• जगुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन — “they said/declared”

• स्वायंभुवादयः: Svāyambhuva and others
• स्वायंभुवादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वायंभुव + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative plural

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Graduated prāyaścitta: heavier atonement for heavier sin, as taught by dharma-knowers like Svāyambhuva Manu

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Atonement follows the principle of proportionality: grave wrongdoing requires grave expiation, and minor faults require minor remedies, as established by dharma authorities beginning with Svāyambhuva Manu.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt proportional self-correction—acknowledge severity, repair harm, and choose disciplined remedies rather than blanket guilt or denial.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethical order (dharma) is a real, divinely grounded discipline within the Lord’s cosmos, shaping the soul’s journey toward Him.

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Svāyambhuva Manu
• Ancient dharma-knowers (tadvidaḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of proportional expiation (prāyaścitta) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that expiation must match the weight of the offence—severe sins require severe remedies and minor faults require minor ones—reflecting a dharmic principle of moral proportionality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the authority behind prāyaścitta rules?

He grounds them in the declarations of recognized dharma-experts, specifically naming Svāyambhuva Manu and other ancient authorities as the source of these graded prescriptions.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even while discussing legal-ethical details, the Purāṇa frames dharma and karmic purification as part of the cosmic order ultimately sustained by Vishnu, the supreme ruler who upholds moral law across cycles of time.