Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

दीक्षीतं ब्राह्मणं हत्वा द्विगुणं व्रतमाचरेत् । आचार्यादिवधे चैव व्रतमुक्तं चतुर्गुणम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

dīkṣītaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ hatvā dviguṇaṃ vratamācaret | ācāryādivadhe caiva vratamuktaṃ caturguṇam || 16 ||

Translation

ଦୀକ୍ଷିତ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣକୁ ହତ୍ୟା କଲେ ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ-ବ୍ରତ ଦ୍ୱିଗୁଣ କରି ଆଚରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଆଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଆଦିଙ୍କ ବଧରେ ସେହି ବ୍ରତ ଚତୁର୍ଗୁଣ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଇଛି॥୧୬॥

Word by Word

• दीक्षितम्: one who is initiated
• दीक्षितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund)

• द्विगुणम्: twofold
• द्विगुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ गुणौ यस्य/द्विगुणम्)

• व्रतम्: vow/penance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• आचार्यादिवधे: in the killing of a teacher etc.
• आचार्यादिवधे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य + आदि + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आचार्यादीनां वधे)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic: just/indeed)

• व्रतम्: the vow
• व्रतम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject of उक्तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• उक्तम्: is stated
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चतुर्गुणम्: fourfold
• चतुर्गुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (contextual), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (fourfold)

Speaker

Sage Nārada (teaching prāyaścitta-dharma to the Sanatkumāra tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: brahmahavrata (implied as the baseline expiatory vow)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Ācārya

FAQs

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

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.

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

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.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

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.