Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Śreyas and Paramārtha: The Ribhu–Nidāgha Teaching on Non-Dual Self

Advaita

Devanagari script

परमार्थभूतः सोऽन्यस्य परमार्थो हि नः पिता । एवं न परमार्थोऽस्ति जगत्यत्र चराचरे ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

paramārthabhūtaḥ so'nyasya paramārtho hi naḥ pitā | evaṃ na paramārtho'sti jagatyatra carācare || 19 ||

Translation

Il est l’incarnation même de la Vérité suprême; oui, Il est le but le plus élevé pour les autres, et Il est notre Père. Ainsi, dans ce monde du mobile et de l’immobile, nul autre paramārtha n’existe vraiment.

Word by Word

• paramārtha-bhūtaḥ: being/constituting the ultimate purpose
• paramārtha-bhūtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paramārtha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (कृदन्त; √bhū धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘परमार्थरूपः/परमार्थ-भूतः’; कृदन्त—भूत (क्त) past participle used adjectivally

• saḥ: he/that
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• anyasya: of another
• anyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• paramārthaḥ: (is) the ultimate purpose
• paramārthaḥ: Pradhāna-predicative/Complement (पूरक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paramārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—निपात (emphasis/for)

• naḥ: our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• pitā: father
• pitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: thus)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—निषेध

• paramārthaḥ: ultimate purpose
• paramārthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paramārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• asti: exists/is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लकारः—लट् (Present), पुरुषः—प्रथम (3rd), वचनम्—एकवचन

• jagati: in the world
• jagati: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—देशवाचक (here)

• cara-acare: in (the realm of) moving and unmoving (beings)
• cara-acare: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cara (प्रातिपदिक) + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (इतरेतर): ‘चरं च अचरं च’ → ‘चराचर’ (moving and non-moving beings)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada in Moksha-dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Supreme Lord (Paramartha/Isvara)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It asserts that the Supreme Lord alone is the true paramārtha—the final aim and ultimate meaning—so all spiritual striving should culminate in Him rather than worldly or secondary goals.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By declaring the Lord as both the highest goal and the compassionate Father, it frames bhakti as single-pointed devotion: directing mind and life toward the Supreme as the only lasting refuge in all creation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; instead it provides the guiding hermeneutic for Vedic study—interpretation should aim at realizing the highest purport (paramārtha), i.e., the Supreme Lord.