Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
The Greatness of Viṣṇu
Uttaṅka’s Hymn, Hari’s Manifestation, and the Boon of Bhakti
वासुदेवात्मकान्याहुः क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च । विद्याविद्यात्मकं प्राहुः परात्परतरं तथा ॥ १८ ॥
vāsudevātmakānyāhuḥ kṣetraṃ kṣetrajñameva ca | vidyāvidyātmakaṃ prāhuḥ parātparataraṃ tathā || 18 ||
Man verkündet, dass sowohl das „Feld“ (kṣetra) als auch der „Kenner des Feldes“ (kṣetrajña) von der Natur Vāsudevas sind. Ebenso heißt es, dass Wissen und Unwissen aus Ihm bestehen; und dass Er der Höchste ist—höher noch als das Höchste.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dialogue context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It presents Vāsudeva as the all-inclusive Reality: the world as ‘field,’ the inner witness as ‘knower,’ and even the play of knowledge and ignorance are understood as dependent on Him—affirming His position as the Supreme beyond all gradations.
By identifying every level of experience—outer world, inner self, clarity, and confusion—as resting in Vāsudeva, the verse supports single-pointed devotion: the devotee learns to see all conditions as leading back to Vishnu, the highest refuge.
No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; instead, it frames a Vedāntic interpretive key used across śāstra—reading kṣetra/kṣetrajña and vidyā/avidyā as categories ultimately subordinated to the Supreme (Vāsudeva).