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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

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

Advaita

एतद्विवेकविज्ञानं यदि शेषेषु जंतुषु । भवता दर्शितं विप्र तत्परं प्रकृतेर्महत् ॥ ३ ॥

etadvivekavijñānaṃ yadi śeṣeṣu jaṃtuṣu | bhavatā darśitaṃ vipra tatparaṃ prakṛtermahat || 3 ||

Ô sage brāhmane, si tu as réellement montré aux autres êtres le viveka-jñāna, la connaissance du discernement, alors celle-ci est souverainement tournée vers le Mahat, le Grand Principe de la Prakṛti, la Nature primordiale.

एतत्this
एतत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'विवेकविज्ञानम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
विवेकविज्ञानम्knowledge of discernment
विवेकविज्ञानम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object of 'darśitam' understood)
TypeNoun
Rootविवेक + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—विवेकस्य विज्ञानम् (knowledge of discrimination)
यदिif
यदि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि (अव्यय)
Formशर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle)
शेषेषुamong the remaining (others)
शेषेषु:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
जन्तुषुamong beings
जन्तुषु:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootजन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
भवताby you (sir)
भवता:
Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive)
TypeNoun
Rootभवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थे सर्वनाम
दर्शितम्has been shown/taught
दर्शितम्:
Kriya (क्रिया; passive predication)
TypeVerb
Rootदृश् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त) 'दर्शित', नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'विवेकविज्ञानम्' इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्
विप्रO brahmin
विप्र:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'परम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
परम्supreme, beyond
परम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'महत्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
प्रकृतेःof Prakriti (nature)
प्रकृतेः:
Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
महत्great (principle)
महत्:
Kriya-anvaya (विधेय/Predicate complement)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Narada (addressing Sanatkumara as vipra, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue on moksha-dharma and tattva-viveka)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

P
Prakriti
M
Mahat

FAQs

It highlights viveka-vijñāna—discriminative, realized knowledge—as a key tool for liberation, pointing the seeker toward understanding Prakṛti and its first evolute, Mahat, as part of tattva-analysis that loosens identification with embodied life.

While framed in tattva-viveka (a jñāna approach), it supports Bhakti by clarifying what is non-self (Prakṛti and its evolutes). Such discernment strengthens single-pointed devotion by reducing attachment to material identification and directing the mind toward the transcendent Lord beyond Prakṛti.

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is philosophical discernment (viveka) used as a method of inquiry into tattvas (principles) such as Prakṛti and Mahat.