Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

प्रायश्चित्तं स्मृतं तत्र शस्त्रे शस्त्रे निगद्यते । काष्टे सान्तपनं प्रोक्तं प्राजापत्यं तु लोष्टके ॥ ४५ ॥

Transliteration

prāyaścittaṃ smṛtaṃ tatra śastre śastre nigadyate | kāṣṭe sāntapanaṃ proktaṃ prājāpatyaṃ tu loṣṭake || 45 ||

Translation

在此情形中，赎罪法（prāyaścitta）依所用之器各别宣说。若以木致伤，当行“桑塔帕那”(Sāntapana)苦行；若以土块致伤，则当行“普拉迦帕提亚”(Prājāpatya)苦行。

Word by Word

• prāyaścittam: expiation
• prāyaścittam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• smṛtam: is stated/remembered (as)
• smṛtam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु: स्मृ)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate with prāyaścittam

• tatra: there / in that case
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय) ‘there/in that case’

• śastre: in the case of a weapon
• śastre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• śastre: (again) in the case of a weapon
• śastre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (repetition for emphasis/distribution)

• nigadyate: is declared
• nigadyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-gad (धातु: नि-गद्)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada form

• kāṣṭe: in the case of a stick/wood
• kāṣṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sāntapanam: (the penance called) Sāntapana
• sāntapanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāntapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• proktam: is prescribed/said
• proktam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vac (धातु: प्र-वच्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate with sāntapanam

• prājāpatyam: (the penance called) Prājāpatya
• prājāpatyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative/emphatic particle (निपात) ‘but/indeed’

• loṣṭake: in the case of a clod
• loṣṭake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loṣṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Sāntapana (as prāyaścitta-vrata) / Prājāpatya (as prāyaścitta-vrata)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati (implied by Prājāpatya)

FAQs

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

It teaches proportional atonement: wrongdoing is purified through a prāyaścitta matched to the instrument and gravity of harm, restoring dharmic balance through disciplined vrata.

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

While primarily a dharma-ritual rule, it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing purity and self-restraint—foundational disciplines that make worship and remembrance of the Divine steady and sincere.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) in the form of prāyaścitta-vidhi—how specific penances like Sāntapana and Prājāpatya are assigned to particular transgressions.