Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

दशादिशतिष्कांतं यः स्तेयी रजतस्य तु । चांद्रायणद्वयं तस्य प्रोक्तं पापविशोधकम् ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

daśādiśatiṣkāṃtaṃ yaḥ steyī rajatasya tu | cāṃdrāyaṇadvayaṃ tasya proktaṃ pāpaviśodhakam || 53 ||

Translation

‘தசாதிசதிஷ்காந்த’ எனப்படும் அளவிலான வெள்ளியைத் திருடுபவனுக்கு, பாவநிவாரணமாக இரட்டை சாந்திராயண விரதம் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Word by Word

• दशात्: from ten
• दशात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ‘दशात्’ = from ten

• दिशति: extends/indicates
• दिशति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; अर्थः ‘points/extends’ (here: indicates range)

• निष्क-अन्तम्: (up to) the niṣka-limit
• निष्क-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘निष्कस्य अन्तः’ = limit in niṣkas

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• स्तेयी: a thief
• स्तेयी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘thief’

• रजतस्य: of silver
• रजतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• चांद्रायण-द्वयम्: a pair of Cāndrāyaṇa (penances)
• चांद्रायण-द्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चांद्रायण (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः — ‘द्वे चांद्रायणे’

• तस्य: for him/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: is prescribed/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘चांद्रायणद्वयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पाप-विशोधकम्: sin-purifying
• पाप-विशोधकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विशोधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘पापस्य विशोधकम्’ (purifier of sin); विशेषणम् ‘चांद्रायणद्वयम्’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Cāndrāyaṇa (double)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It frames atonement as a disciplined vow (Cāndrāyaṇa) that purifies the moral stain of theft, restoring inner order (dharma) through regulated self-restraint.

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

While not directly teaching bhakti, it supports devotional life by insisting on ethical purity; prāyaścitta removes obstacles (pāpa) that hinder steady worship and sāttvika conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-dharma practice: the Cāndrāyaṇa vrata (a lunar-based discipline) as a formal expiation, implying calendrical/observance awareness used in vrata performance.