Shloka 26
The Glory of the Divine Name and the Doctrine of Name-Offenses
Nāma-aparādha
विदुर्विष्ण्वभिधानं ये ह्यपराधपरा नराः । तेषामपि भवेन्मुक्तिः पठनादेव नारद
vidurviṣṇvabhidhānaṃ ye hyaparādhaparā narāḥ | teṣāmapi bhavenmuktiḥ paṭhanādeva nārada
Bahkan orang yang mengetahui Nama Viṣṇu namun tetap cenderung kepada kesalahan—mereka pun, wahai Nārada, boleh mencapai mokṣa hanya dengan membaca (ajaran) ini.
Unspecified narrator addressing Nārada (vocative: 'nārada')
Concept: Even habitual wrongdoers who know Viṣṇu’s Name may attain liberation through recitation—highlighting nāma’s extraordinary grace and the salvific power of pāṭha/śravaṇa.
Application: Do not despair over past habits; begin consistent recitation of Viṣṇu-nāma and study/recite nāma-mahātmya passages; pair practice with gradual ethical reform.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A troubled figure, surrounded by scenes of past wrongdoing like fading murals, sits at night with a manuscript and begins to recite. As the words rise, Viṣṇu’s four-armed form appears in gentle radiance, and the dark murals peel away into lotus petals that drift into a clear sky. Nārada stands nearby as witness, vīṇā lowered, eyes softened by compassion.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu","a repentant wrongdoer (symbolic everyman)","Nārada"],"setting":"Simple hut or riverside step with a palm-leaf text; night turning into dawn as recitation continues; subtle cosmic backdrop suggesting mokṣa.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["midnight blue","soft gold","lotus pink","pale turquoise","charcoal gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Viṣṇu emerging with gold-leaf halo, devotee holding manuscript in humble posture, Nārada as witness with vīṇā, sins depicted as dark panels cracking into lotus petals, rich reds/greens in borders, gem-studded ornaments, dramatic contrast of darkness and gold radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: nocturne scene with cool blues, a lone reciter by a small lamp, Viṣṇu’s gentle apparition in translucent gold wash, Nārada in soft profile, past-wrongdoing imagery fading like watercolor, refined faces and emotional tenderness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, Viṣṇu in bright yellow-gold and green, reciter in earthy tones, Nārada with stylized vīṇā, background transitioning from dark to light in symbolic bands, temple-wall aesthetic emphasizing redemption.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Viṣṇu with lotus motifs, below a small figure reciting from a text, surrounding border of lotuses transforming from dark buds to bright blooms, deep blue cloth ground with gold highlights, peacocks and floral filigree framing the theme of liberation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft conch (distant)","night insects fading into dawn birds","gentle handbell","tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vidur = viduḥ; viṣṇvabhidhānam = viṣṇu + abhidhānam; hyaparādhaparāḥ = hi + aparādhaparāḥ; bhavenmuktiḥ = bhavet + muktiḥ; paṭhanādeva = paṭhanāt + eva.
FAQs
Yes. It states that even those inclined to offenses may attain mokṣa through paṭhana (recitation/reading), highlighting the purifying power attributed to Viṣṇu’s Name and sacred recitation.
The verse elevates Viṣṇu-nāma (the Name of Viṣṇu) as spiritually transformative, implying that contact with it—especially through recitation—can overcome heavy moral faults.
While emphasizing grace and purification through sacred recitation, it implicitly contrasts mere knowledge of the divine Name with living conduct, urging a move away from aparādha (wrongdoing) toward devotion and integrity.