Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87
Threefold Suffering, Twofold Knowledge, and the Definition of Bhagavān (Vāsudeva); Prelude to Keśidhvaja–Janaka Yoga
राज्यं यज्ञांश्च विविधान्भोगे पुण्यक्षयं तथा । तदिदं ते मनो दिष्ट्या विवेकैश्चर्यतां गतम् ॥ ८५ ॥
rājyaṃ yajñāṃśca vividhānbhoge puṇyakṣayaṃ tathā | tadidaṃ te mano diṣṭyā vivekaiścaryatāṃ gatam || 85 ||
Les royaumes, les sacrifices variés et les jouissances mondaines mènent aussi à l’épuisement du mérite. Ainsi, tu es béni : par le discernement (viveka), ton esprit s’est tourné vers la voie de la juste conduite et de la retenue sage.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that worldly power (rājya), ritual merit (yajña), and pleasures (bhoga) are finite and consume accumulated puṇya; liberation requires viveka—discerning what is lasting and turning the mind toward disciplined spiritual conduct.
By devaluing temporary attainments, it prepares the seeker for single-pointed surrender: when the mind recognizes the limits of merit-based results, it naturally seeks a higher, enduring refuge—classically fulfilled in steady devotion to the Supreme (often expressed in the Purana as Vishnu-bhakti).
The verse implicitly distinguishes karma-kāṇḍa results from liberation: it points to the practical insight that ritual action yields finite puṇya subject to kṣaya, encouraging a shift from mere ritual performance to disciplined sādhana guided by viveka (a foundational principle used when interpreting Vedic rites and their results).