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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

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

तस्योपनयनं भूयस्तप्तकृच्छ्रं चरेत्तथा । समक्षं वा परोक्षं वा बलाच्चौयण वा तथा ॥ ३३ ॥

tasyopanayanaṃ bhūyastaptakṛcchraṃ carettathā | samakṣaṃ vā parokṣaṃ vā balāccauyaṇa vā tathā || 33 ||

तस्य पुनरुपनयनं कार्यं, तथा तप्तकृच्छ्रं चरेत्। समक्षं वा परोक्षं वा बलात् चौयणतोऽपि वा॥

तस्यof him
तस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी, एकवचन; genitive of 'tad'
उपनयनम्upanayana
उपनयनम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootउपनयन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; prescribed act (object of 'caret')
भूयःagain
भूयः:
क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootभूयस् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again)
तप्त-कृच्छ्रम्the taptakṛcchra penance
तप्त-कृच्छ्रम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतप्त (कृदन्त; √तप् (धातु) + क्त) + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'तप्तं कृच्छ्रम्' (a 'heated'/severe penance)
चरेत्should perform/practise
चरेत्:
क्रिया (Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√चर् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
तथाlikewise
तथा:
सम्बन्ध (Discourse)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (also/likewise)
समक्षम्openly; in presence
समक्षम्:
क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसमक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाववत् अव्यय-प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (in the presence/openly)
वाor
वा:
समुच्चय (Alternative connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थ (or)
परोक्षम्secretly; out of sight
परोक्षम्:
क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय-प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (secretly/without being seen)
वाor
वा:
समुच्चय (Alternative connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थ
बलात्forcibly
बलात्:
हेतु/करण (Cause/Manner)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootबल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय-प्रयोगः (तसिल्/पञ्चमी-अर्थे); हेत्वर्थ/प्रकार (by force/forcibly)
चौयणम्theft (act of stealing)
चौयणम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootचौयण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (reading as 'cauyaṇa'—act of theft/stealing)
वाor
वा:
समुच्चय (Alternative connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थ
तथाlikewise
तथा:
सम्बन्ध (Discourse)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ

Narada (teaching in a dharma/prāyaścitta context)

Vrata: Taptakṛcchra (penance); Upanayana (re-performance)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

It emphasizes restoration of dharmic purity through saṁskāra (re-initiation) and prāyaścitta (taptakṛcchra), showing that inner rectification matters regardless of whether the fault was public or hidden.

While not directly a bhakti-verse, it supports bhakti-life by prescribing purification after lapses—so the practitioner can return to disciplined worship with renewed eligibility and integrity.

It reflects Kalpa/Vaidika ritual procedure: rules for saṁskāra (upanayana) and the application of specific expiatory observances (kṛcchra) as part of dharma-śāstric practice.