Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

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

Devanagari script

प्राणायामद्वयं सम्यक् तेन शुद्धच्चति मानवः । प्राणायामत्रयं कुर्याद्धृत्वा निष्कप्रमाणकम् ॥ ४५ ॥

Transliteration

prāṇāyāmadvayaṃ samyak tena śuddhaccati mānavaḥ | prāṇāyāmatrayaṃ kuryāddhṛtvā niṣkapramāṇakam || 45 ||

Translation

如法修行两遍调息（prāṇāyāma），人便得清净。若所盗之金达一“niṣka”之量，当作三遍调息，并依此量度而持息。

Word by Word

• प्राणायाम-द्वयम्: two (rounds of) prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायाम-द्वयम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (numeral compound)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (रीति/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: करण (करणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शुद्धः: purified
• शुद्धः: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with ‘मानवः’)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• मानवः: a man/person
• मानवः: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्राणायाम-त्रयम्: three (rounds of) prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायाम-त्रयम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः

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

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

• निष्क-प्रमाणकम्: of the measure of a niṣka
• निष्क-प्रमाणकम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्क (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाणक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying an implied वस्तु like ‘हेम’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It presents prāṇāyāma as a direct means of inner purification (śuddhi), indicating that regulated breath practice is a recognized purificatory discipline within Narada Purana’s dharmic sādhanā framework.

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

While not explicitly naming bhakti, it supports devotion indirectly by prescribing purification through prāṇāyāma—mental and bodily clarity are treated as supportive prerequisites for steady worship, japa, and focused remembrance of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a technical, rule-based approach to practice—using traditional measures (pramāṇa such as “niṣka”) to standardize discipline, aligning with the broader Vedāṅga spirit of precise procedure and regulated method in ritual-yogic observance.