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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

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

अज्ञानान्मातरं गत्वा तत्सपत्नीमथापि वा । स्वयमेव स्वमुष्कं तु च्छिंद्यात्पापमुदीरयन् ॥ ५७ ॥

ajñānānmātaraṃ gatvā tatsapatnīmathāpi vā | svayameva svamuṣkaṃ tu cchiṃdyātpāpamudīrayan || 57 ||

Jika kerana jahil, seorang lelaki mendatangi ibunya—atau isteri lain bapanya—maka, sambil mengakui dosanya, dia harus memotong buah zakarnya sendiri.

अज्ञानात्out of ignorance
अज्ञानात्:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootअज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; Ablative singular
मातरम्(one’s) mother
मातरम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular
गत्वाhaving gone to
गत्वा:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formकृदन्त; ल्यबन्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having gone’
तत्-सपत्नीम्her co-wife
तत्-सपत्नीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सपत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘her co-wife’
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भ (particle ‘then/also’)
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय/सम्भावना (particle ‘also/even’)
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive ‘or’)
स्वयम्oneself
स्वयम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वयम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कर्तृविशेषण (adverb ‘oneself’)
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)
स्व-मुष्कम्his own testicle
स्व-मुष्कम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘one’s own testicle’
तुthen
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अन्वय (particle)
छिन्द्यात्should cut off
छिन्द्यात्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootछिद् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should cut off’
पापम्sin
पापम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular
उदीरयन्uttering (a confession/statement)
उदीरयन्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootउद् + ईर् (धातु)
Formकृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘declaring/uttering’ (simultaneous action)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma-śāstra style instruction)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

It emphasizes that certain transgressions are treated as extremely grave (mahāpātaka-like) and require severe self-denying expiation along with explicit confession, underscoring accountability and deterrence in dharma.

This verse is primarily dharma/prāyaścitta-focused rather than a direct bhakti teaching; indirectly, it frames moral purity and truthfulness (open confession) as foundations that support sincere worship and spiritual discipline.

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is dharma-śāstric procedure—acknowledging the offense (udīrayan) and undertaking prescribed prāyaścitta.