Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10
Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State
ऋषीणामाहुरेकं यं कामादवसितं नृषु । शाश्वतं सुखमत्यंतमन्विच्छन्स सुदुर्लभम् ॥ १० ॥
ṛṣīṇāmāhurekaṃ yaṃ kāmādavasitaṃ nṛṣu | śāśvataṃ sukhamatyaṃtamanvicchansa sudurlabham || 10 ||
The sages declare that there is one supreme aim among men, determined after desire has been examined and transcended. Seeking that eternal and utmost bliss, one finds it exceedingly hard to attain.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma section)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It highlights that the highest, eternal happiness (liberation-oriented bliss) is a single supreme goal taught by the sages, yet it is rare because it requires moving beyond ordinary desire-driven pursuits.
By stressing the rarity of “eternal happiness,” the verse supports the Narada Purana’s broader moksha framework where steady God-centered pursuit (often expressed as Vishnu-bhakti) replaces kama-centered living; the seeker must reorient desire into devotion.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is sadhana-priority—discipline of desire (kama-nirodha/vairagya) as a prerequisite for moksha-oriented study and practice.