Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

आसायं प्रातरारभ्य जप्त्वा वै वेदमातरम् । हेम कृष्णलमात्रं तु हृत्वा सांतपनं चरेत् ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

āsāyaṃ prātarārabhya japtvā vai vedamātaram | hema kṛṣṇalamātraṃ tu hṛtvā sāṃtapanaṃ caret || 48 ||

Translation

自傍晚开始，并延续至次日清晨，如法持诵“吠陀之母”——伽雅特丽（Gāyatrī）之后，若曾盗取一“kṛṣṇala”之量的黄金，当修行名为Sāṃtapana的赎罪苦行。

Word by Word

• आसायम्: in the evening
• आसायम्: कालाधिकरण (अधिकरणकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आसाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; कालवाचक (temporal adverb) “in the evening” (often as locative/accusative adverbial)

• प्रातर्: in the morning
• प्रातर्: कालाधिकरण (अधिकरणकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातर् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb) “in the morning”

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: सम्बन्ध (आरम्भ-बिन्दु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः (gerund in -ya): “beginning from”

• जप्त्वा: having recited
• जप्त्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (अनुक्रम/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): “having recited”

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• वेद-मातरम्: the Mother of the Vedas (Gāyatrī)
• वेद-मातरम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; “mother of the Vedas” (i.e., Gāyatrī)

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

• कृष्णल-मात्रम्: of the measure of a kṛṣṇala seed
• कृष्णल-मात्रम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्णल (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘हेम’) “of kṛṣṇala-seed measure”

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

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

• सांतपनम्: the Sāṃtapana penance
• सांतपनम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांतपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रायश्चित्त-विशेषः (name of a penance)

• चरेत्: should practice/undertake
• चरेत्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narada (in instruction mode, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Sāṃtapana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Veda

FAQs

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

It links purification to both mantra (Gāyatrī as ‘Veda-mātā’) and disciplined expiation (Sāṃtapana), showing that inner recitation and outer observance together restore dharmic purity.

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

While framed as prāyaścitta, the verse emphasizes reverent japa of the Veda’s sacred mother-mantra; such steady remembrance is a devotional discipline that supports purity and steadiness of mind.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline is foregrounded: timing of observance (evening-to-morning), mantra-japa procedure, and precise traditional measure (kṛṣṇala) for a prescribed offering/fee—reflecting technical ritual exactness associated with Kalpa (auxiliary of Veda).