Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34
Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State
अन्योऽस्माज्जायते मोहस्तमाहुः सत्त्वसंक्षयम् । यदा सरूपतश्चान्यो जातितः श्रुततोऽर्थतः ॥ ३४ ॥
anyo'smājjāyate mohastamāhuḥ sattvasaṃkṣayam | yadā sarūpataścānyo jātitaḥ śrutato'rthataḥ || 34 ||
De cette méprise surgit une autre illusion ; on l’appelle le déclin du sattva (clarté et force intérieure). Elle survient lorsqu’on tient une chose pour « autre »—autre par la forme, autre par la naissance, autre par ce qui est entendu, et autre par le sens.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It diagnoses a subtle cause of bondage: the mind’s habit of manufacturing ‘otherness’ on the basis of externals (form, birth, hearsay, and interpretations). This fragmentation is said to drain sattva, weakening clarity and making liberation-oriented discernment difficult.
Bhakti becomes steady when sattva is protected; this verse shows what erodes it—judging reality through superficial differences and second-hand notions. By reducing such moha, the devotee’s mind becomes clearer, more unified, and more capable of one-pointed remembrance of the Lord.
It cautions against relying merely on “śruta” (heard report) without proper artha-vicāra (inquiry into meaning). This aligns with disciplined interpretation—using careful semantic understanding (nirukta/artha) and correct reasoning rather than hearsay alone.