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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Śreyas and Paramārtha: The Ribhu–Nidāgha Teaching on Non-Dual Self

Advaita

श्रेयः प्रधानं च फले तदेवानभिसंहिते । आत्मा ध्येयः सदा भूप योगयुक्तैस्तथा परैः ॥ १५ ॥

śreyaḥ pradhānaṃ ca phale tadevānabhisaṃhite | ātmā dhyeyaḥ sadā bhūpa yogayuktaistathā paraiḥ || 15 ||

Selbst wenn man nicht bewusst danach strebt, stellt sich jene Frucht ein, in der das höchste Heil (śreyas) den Vorrang hat. Darum, o König, ist das Selbst stets zu meditieren—von den im Yoga Geübten wie auch von den Hochgesinnten.

śreyaḥthe good
śreyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
pradhānamprimary / principal
pradhānam:
Vidhāna (विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootpradhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); विधेय-विशेषण
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)
phalein the result
phale:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootphala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)
tatthat
tat:
Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/निर्देश)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
evaindeed
eva:
Avadharana (अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)
anabhisaṃhitewhen not specifically intended
anabhisaṃhite:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootan-abhisaṃhita (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषण; ‘not intended/ not aimed at’
ātmāthe Self
ātmā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
dhyeyaḥto be meditated upon
dhyeyaḥ:
Vidhāna (विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootdhyeya (प्रातिपदिक; from dhyai धातु)
FormGerundive/Potential passive participle (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थक कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
sadāalways
sadā:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsadā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)
bhūpaO king
bhūpa:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootbhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
yoga-yuktaiḥby those united with yoga
yoga-yuktaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootyoga (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (प्रातिपदिक; from yuj धातु)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); विशेषण; समास: yogena yuktāḥ (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)
tathāthus / likewise
tathā:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb/particle (अव्यय)
paraiḥby the excellent ones
paraiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘the excellent/others’ (context: the best ones)

Sanatkumara (teaching to a king as interlocutor)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

A
Atman

FAQs

It asserts that the highest welfare (śreyas)—liberation-oriented fruit—naturally becomes primary when one lives in yogic discipline, and it anchors the practice in constant contemplation of the Ātman as the direct means toward mokṣa.

While the verse is framed in jñāna-yoga language (Ātman-dhyāna), it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing single-pointed, continual remembrance; in Narada Purana’s broader mokṣa-dharma, such steadiness matures into unwavering devotion to the Supreme as the inner Self.

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is yogic application—regular dhyāna on the Ātman as a daily discipline, prioritizing inner realization over merely goal-driven results.