Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

सुवर्णसहृशेष्वेषु प्रायश्चितार्द्धमुच्यते । त्रसरेणुसमं हेम हृत्वा कुर्यात्समाहितः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

suvarṇasahṛśeṣveṣu prāyaścitārddhamucyate | trasareṇusamaṃ hema hṛtvā kuryātsamāhitaḥ || 44 ||

Translation

若所涉之物其价值可比于黄金，则所说之赎罪法（prāyaścitta）为盗金之半。纵使所盗之金仅等于“trasareṇu”——极微尘点——亦当摄心安住，依教修行所定忏悔。

Word by Word

• सुवर्ण-सहृशेषु: among (things) similar to gold
• सुवर्ण-सहृशेषु: अधिकरण (अधिकरणकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + सहृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (locative plural: “in/among those similar to gold”)

• एषु: in these
• एषु: अधिकरण (अधिकरणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• प्रायश्चित-अर्धम्: half of the expiation
• प्रायश्चित-अर्धम्: कर्म/प्रत्ययार्थ-निर्देश (कर्मकारक/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्म/कर्तृ-निर्देशे सन्दर्भानुसारम् (here as predicate nominative/accusative “half expiation”)

• उच्यते: is said/declared
• उच्यते: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• त्रसरेणु-समम्: equal to a trasareṇu (minute particle)
• त्रसरेणु-समम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रसरेणु (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (accusative singular agreeing with ‘हेम’)

• हेम: gold
• हेम: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्/हेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• हृत्वा: having taken (away)
• हृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (अनुक्रम/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), “having taken/stealing (having taken away)”

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• समाहितः: being composed/attentive
• समाहितः: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally: “composed/attentive”

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the rules of prāyaścitta)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches proportional atonement: even a minute act of theft is spiritually weighty and must be addressed through disciplined prāyaścitta performed with inner composure (samāhita).

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

While not directly teaching bhakti, it supports devotional life by emphasizing ethical purity—removing the stain of wrongdoing through sincere expiation so the mind becomes fit for remembrance and worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharmaśāstra-style ritual jurisprudence: graded penances and traditional measures (like trasareṇu) used to quantify fault and prescribe appropriate prāyaścitta.