Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 62
Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas and the Sin-destroying Power of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa
रेतःसेकात्पूर्वमेव निवृत्तो यदि मातरि । ब्रह्महत्याव्रतं कुर्याद्रेतः सेकेऽग्निदाहनम् ॥ ६२ ॥
retaḥsekātpūrvameva nivṛtto yadi mātari | brahmahatyāvrataṃ kuryādretaḥ seke'gnidāhanam || 62 ||
若于母处，未泄精而止，当修杀婆罗门之赎罪；若已泄精，则须投火自焚。
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma/prāyaścitta context)
Vrata: brāhmahatyā-vrata
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It presents a graded prāyaścitta framework for an extreme transgression, emphasizing that intention and completion of the act change the karmic weight, and therefore the required expiation (vrata) also changes.
Indirectly: by stressing purification through dharma and prāyaścitta, it supports the prerequisite of inner and outer purity that traditional texts consider conducive to steady worship and remembrance of the Divine.
Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharmaśāstra-style prāyaścitta reasoning are implied—showing how vows and penances are assigned according to the stage of completion of an action.