Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

ज्ञानं च मोक्षदं प्राहुस्तज्ज्ञानं योगिनां भवेत् । योगस्तु द्विविधः प्रोक्तः कर्मज्ञानप्रभेदतः ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

jñānaṃ ca mokṣadaṃ prāhustajjñānaṃ yogināṃ bhavet | yogastu dvividhaḥ proktaḥ karmajñānaprabhedataḥ || 31 ||

Translation

يقولون إن الجْنَانا تمنح الموكشا (التحرّر)، وإن تلك المعرفة ينبغي أن تكون لدى اليوغيين. ثم إن اليوغا قد أُعلنت نوعين، متميّزين بطريق العمل (كارما) وطريق المعرفة (جْنَانا).

Word by Word

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मोक्षदम्: granting liberation
• मोक्षदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मोक्षाय दः’ (giving liberation); विशेषण ज्ञानम् इति

• प्राहुः: they have said / they declare
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण ज्ञानम् इति

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• योगिनाम्: of yogins
• योगिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भवेत्: may be / should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• द्विविधः: twofold
• द्विविधः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समास: ‘द्वौ विधौ यस्य’ (twofold); विशेषण योगः इति

• प्रोक्तः: is declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘is said/declared’

• कर्मज्ञानप्रभेदतः: according to the distinction between action and knowledge
• कर्मज्ञानप्रभेदतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्म + ज्ञान + प्रभेद + तस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/according to’); समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative): कर्म-ज्ञान-प्रभेद (distinction of action and knowledge) + तः

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the moksha-yoga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

The verse establishes liberating knowledge (jñāna) as the direct means to moksha and frames yoga as a disciplined approach that culminates in such knowledge.

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

Bhakti is not named here, but the verse sets the framework often used in Purāṇic teaching: disciplined action (karma) and liberating knowledge (jñāna) can function as preparatory or complementary supports that, in many Narada Purana contexts, mature into devotion-centered realization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the doctrinal classification of sādhanā into karma-yoga (duty/ritual-based discipline) and jñāna-yoga (inquiry-based discipline).