Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4
Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā
कीदृशो जीवतां जीवः क्व वा गच्छंति ये मृताः । अस्माल्लोकादमुं लोकं सर्वं शंसतु मे भवान् ॥ ४ ॥
kīdṛśo jīvatāṃ jīvaḥ kva vā gacchaṃti ye mṛtāḥ | asmāllokādamuṃ lokaṃ sarvaṃ śaṃsatu me bhavān || 4 ||
Quelle est la nature du jīva chez les êtres vivants, et où vont ceux qui meurent ? De ce monde à l’autre monde, daignez, ô vénérable, tout m’exposer.
Narada (inquirer, addressing Sanatkumara)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It frames a core Moksha-Dharma inquiry: understanding the jīva’s true nature and the soul’s destination after death, which sets the groundwork for teachings on karma, lokas, and liberation.
This verse is an opening question rather than a bhakti instruction, but it motivates the later conclusion typical of Moksha sections: knowing the jīva’s journey leads seekers toward the highest refuge—often expressed as devotion to the Supreme (Vishnu/Narayana) beyond mere worldly destinations.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa ritual procedure) is taught in this verse; it is a philosophical prompt that precedes doctrinal explanation about death, karma, and loka-transition.