Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 73

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

Devanagari script

द्वादशाहेतु संसर्गे महासांतपनं स्मृतम् । संगंकृत्वार्द्धमासं तु द्वादशाहमुपावसेत् ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

dvādaśāhetu saṃsarge mahāsāṃtapanaṃ smṛtam | saṃgaṃkṛtvārddhamāsaṃ tu dvādaśāhamupāvaset || 73 ||

Translation

بارہ دن تک کے میل جول کے لیے ‘مہا شانتپن’ پرایَشچِتّ بتایا گیا ہے۔ آدھا مہینہ مقررہ طریقہ پر رہ کر، پھر بارہ دن کا اُپواس کرنا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• द्वादशाह-हेतु: having a twelve-day (duration) as cause/occasion
• द्वादशाह-हेतु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशाह + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्वादशाहः हेतु: having a 12-day cause/occasion)

• संसर्गे: in association/contact
• संसर्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• महासांतपनम्: the great Sāṃtapana penance
• महासांतपनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + सांतपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् सांतपनम्)

• स्मृतम्: is prescribed/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (प्रातिपदिक; √स्मृ क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) — ‘is remembered/declared’

• सङ्गम्: association/contact
• सङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• अर्धमासम्: half a month
• अर्धमासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मासस्य अर्धम्)

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

• द्वादशाहम्: for twelve days
• द्वादशाहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश अहानि)

• उपावसेत्: should fast/observe a fast
• उपावसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma–prāyaścitta context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mahā-sāṃtapana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: vira (heroic)

FAQs

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

It frames purification as a structured, time-bound discipline: when impurity is linked to prolonged contact, the text prescribes a correspondingly rigorous prāyaścitta (Mahā-sāntapana) culminating in sustained upavāsa to restore ritual and inner clarity.

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

While primarily legal-ritual in tone, it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing self-restraint (niyama) and purification—conditions traditionally considered supportive for steady remembrance and worship of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: the verse gives a rule-based prāyaścitta sequence (a defined regimen plus a twelve-day fast) keyed to a measurable condition (twelve-day saṃsarga).