Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16
Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas and the Sin-destroying Power of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa
दीक्षीतं ब्राह्मणं हत्वा द्विगुणं व्रतमाचरेत् । आचार्यादिवधे चैव व्रतमुक्तं चतुर्गुणम् ॥ १६ ॥
dīkṣītaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ hatvā dviguṇaṃ vratamācaret | ācāryādivadhe caiva vratamuktaṃ caturguṇam || 16 ||
दीक्षित ब्राह्मणाचा वध केल्यास प्रायश्चित्तव्रत दुप्पट करून आचरावे। आणि आचार्य इत्यादींच्या वधात तेच व्रत चौपट सांगितले आहे॥१६॥
Sage Nārada (teaching prāyaścitta-dharma to the Sanatkumāra tradition)
Vrata: brahmahavrata (implied as the baseline expiatory vow)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches the principle of graded moral accountability: harming highly revered, spiritually consecrated persons demands proportionately stronger prāyaścitta, emphasizing reverence for sacred life and the seriousness of guru-related offenses.
While primarily about dharma and expiation, it supports bhakti indirectly by insisting on purification after grave wrongdoing; a devotee’s life is safeguarded by repentance, restraint, and restoring dharmic order before deeper worship and japa bear fruit.
Ritual discipline (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: the verse uses the technical framework of vrata and prāyaścitta with quantified intensification (dviguṇa/caturguṇa), guiding how penances are scaled in dharma-śāstra style observances.