Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60
The Exposition of Spiritual Knowledge
Jñāna-pradarśanam
वेदमालिरुवाच । ममचित्तमतिभ्रान्तं गुरो ब्रह्मविदां वर । कोऽहं मम क्रिया का च मम जन्म कथं वद ॥ ६० ॥
vedamāliruvāca | mamacittamatibhrāntaṃ guro brahmavidāṃ vara | ko'haṃ mama kriyā kā ca mama janma kathaṃ vada || 60 ||
Vedamāli sprach: „O Guru, Bester unter den Kennern Brahmans—mein Geist und mein Verstehen sind verwirrt. Wer bin ich? Was ist meine wahre Pflicht (Dharma) und mein rechter Weg des Handelns? Und wie kam meine Geburt zustande? Bitte sage es mir.“
Vedamāli
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It frames the classic mokṣa-oriented inquiry—identity (ko 'ham), right action (kriyā), and the cause of birth (janma)—and places the solution in brahma-vidyā received from a qualified guru.
Though not explicitly naming bhakti, it shows the essential bhakti attitude: humility and surrender to the guru for clarity about one’s dharma and spiritual direction, which later culminates in devotion grounded in right understanding.
The verse prioritizes brahma-vidyā (liberating knowledge) over technical detail; it implicitly indicates that ritual action (kriyā) should be guided by correct discernment taught by the guru, rather than performed in confusion.