Previous Verse
Next Verse

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 ||

اگر نادانی سے کوئی مرد اپنی ماں کے پاس—یا باپ کی دوسری بیوی کے پاس بھی—چلا جائے، تو اپنے گناہ کا اقرار کرتے ہوئے خود اپنے خصیے کاٹ ڈالے۔

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.