Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Threefold Suffering, Twofold Knowledge, and the Definition of Bhagavān (Vāsudeva); Prelude to Keśidhvaja–Janaka Yoga

Devanagari script

तत्र पूज्यपदार्थोक्तिः परिभाषासमन्वितः । शब्दोऽयं नोपचारेण चान्यत्र ह्युपचारतः ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

tatra pūjyapadārthoktiḥ paribhāṣāsamanvitaḥ | śabdo'yaṃ nopacāreṇa cānyatra hyupacārataḥ || 20 ||

Translation

في ذلك السياق، يدلّ القول على موضوعٍ جديرٍ بالتبجيل، ويقترن بقاعدة تعريفية (باريبهاشا). وهذا اللفظ لا يُستعمل هناك على سبيل المجاز أو المعنى الثانوي؛ أمّا في مواضع أخرى فلا يُستعمل إلا على وجه الإطلاق المجازي.

Word by Word

• tatra: there/in that context
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• pūjyapadārthoktiḥ: the expression of the worship-worthy sense
• pūjyapadārthoktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjya (प्रातिपदिक) + padārtha (प्रातिपदिक) + ukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); multi-member tatpuruṣa ‘statement (ukti) of the meaning (padārtha) of “pūjya”/the worship-worthy’

• paribhāṣāsamanvitaḥ: accompanied by a definition
• paribhāṣāsamanvitaḥ: Viśeṣya-predicative (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paribhāṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त, सम्+√i/√anv-i)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective to śabdaḥ: ‘endowed with a definition/technical rule’

• śabdaḥ: the word/term
• śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• na: not
• na: Niṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेधार्थक अव्यय)

• upacāreṇa: by figurative/secondary usage
• upacāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/instrument, ‘by figurative usage’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• anyatra: elsewhere/otherwise
• anyatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (स्थान/विषयवाचक अव्यय)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (निपात/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic/causal particle (हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय)

• upacārataḥ: by way of secondary sense
• upacārataḥ: Hetu-dyotaka (हेतु/कारणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upacāratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय) meaning ‘from/according to secondary usage’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a definitional/technical discourse)

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 teaches that liberation-oriented instruction depends on precise meaning: when a term is defined by a paribhāṣā and points to a worship-worthy reality, it should be taken in its primary sense, not diluted into metaphor.

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

By insisting on primary meaning for a ‘pūjya’ referent, the verse supports focused devotion—worship is directed to the truly venerable object indicated by scripture, rather than to a merely figurative substitute.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights interpretive discipline akin to Vedāṅga Vyākaraṇa and Mīmāṃsā: distinguishing mukhya-vṛtti (primary meaning) from upacāra (secondary usage) using paribhāṣā rules.