Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

करीषच्छादितो दग्धः स्तेयपापाद्विमुच्यते । ब्रह्मस्वं क्षत्रियो हृत्वा पश्चात्तापमवाप्य च ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

karīṣacchādito dagdhaḥ steyapāpādvimucyate | brahmasvaṃ kṣatriyo hṛtvā paścāttāpamavāpya ca || 41 ||

Translation

Người được phủ phân bò rồi chịu thiêu đốt sẽ được giải thoát khỏi tội trộm cắp. Cũng vậy, một Kṣatriya đã lấy tài sản của Bà-la-môn, sau khi khởi lòng hối hận (sám hối), sẽ được thanh tịnh.

Word by Word

• करीषच्छादितः: covered with dung
• करीषच्छादितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करीष-छादित (प्रातिपदिक; करीष + छादित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) from √छद्/छाद् 'to cover'

• दग्धः: burnt
• दग्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध (प्रातिपदिक; दह् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); PPP (burnt)

• स्तेयपापात्: from the sin of theft
• स्तेयपापात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय-पाप (प्रातिपदिक; स्तेय + पाप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (singular)

• विमुच्यते: is freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद (ātmanepada), कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive sense: 'is released')

• ब्रह्मस्वम्: property of a Brahmin
• ब्रह्मस्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-स्व (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + स्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• क्षत्रियः: a Kshatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• हृत्वा: having taken/stolen
• हृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• पश्चात्तापम्: repentance
• पश्चात्तापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चात्-ताप (प्रातिपदिक; पश्चात् + ताप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• अवाप्य: having obtained/undergone
• अवाप्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष (gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action): 'having obtained'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on prāyaścitta and dharma)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: prāyaścitta for steya / brahmasva-apahāra

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Kshatriya
• Brahmana

FAQs

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

It stresses that wrongdoing (especially theft) has karmic consequences, and that purification requires prāyaścitta—both an outer corrective act and inner moral reformation through remorse.

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

Though framed as dharma and expiation, it supports bhakti indirectly: sincere repentance and ethical rectification are presented as prerequisites for a pure mind fit for devotion and worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharma-śāstra style procedural knowledge—how specific sins are classified and what prāyaścitta is prescribed—useful for ritual conduct and social-ethical order rather than a technical Vedāṅga like Jyotiṣa.