Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

Vyākaraṇa-saṅgraha: Pada–Vibhakti–Kāraka–Lakāra–Samāsa

Devanagari script

जातार्थे लज्जितोऽत्यर्थे श्रेयाञ्छ्रेष्टश्च नारद । कृष्णतरः शुक्लतमः किम आख्यानतोऽव्ययान् ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

jātārthe lajjito'tyarthe śreyāñchreṣṭaśca nārada | kṛṣṇataraḥ śuklatamaḥ kima ākhyānato'vyayān || 59 ||

Translation

Ô Nārada, on peut être profondément honteux des buts mondains et pourtant être appelé « plus bénéfique » et « le plus excellent ». À quoi bon alors raconter l’impérissable par de simples comparatifs tels que « plus sombre » ou « plus blanc » ?

Word by Word

• jāta-arthe: for the intended meaning / in the sense intended
• jāta-arthe: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jāta (कृदन्त, क्त) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अर्थे—‘जातार्थे’ = ‘for the intended/realized meaning’ (contextual adverbial)

• lajjitaḥ: ashamed
• lajjitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lajj (धातु) → lajjita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः—‘ashamed’

• ati-arthe: in an excessive sense / extremely
• ati-arthe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अर्थे—‘अत्यर्थे’ = ‘in an excessive sense/very much’

• śreyān: better
• śreyān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative stem)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) — ‘better’

• śreṣṭaḥ: best
• śreṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक; superlative sense)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; श्रेष्ठ-शब्दः—superlative sense ‘best’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• nārada: O Nārada
• nārada: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇa-taraḥ: darker
• kṛṣṇa-taraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तद्धित/प्रातिपदिक; comparative suffix)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) — ‘darker’

• śukla-tamaḥ: whitest
• śukla-tamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तद्धित/प्रातिपदिक; superlative suffix)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्ययार्थे superlative — ‘whitest/most white’

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक; interrogative pronoun)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• ākhyānataḥ: from the account/narration
• ākhyānataḥ: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तद्धित; ablatival adverb)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) — ‘from narration/account’

• avyayān: indeclinable words
• avyayān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘indeclinables’ as a class

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: hasya

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It cautions that liberation-oriented wisdom should not get trapped in superficial comparisons or descriptive extremes; the imperishable truth is realized, not merely “told” through relative labels.

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

By implying that devotion should move beyond external or comparative judgments and become inwardly steady—aimed at the imperishable reality (the Lord as the eternal refuge), not at rhetorical distinctions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A Vyākaraṇa-style sensitivity to degrees and comparisons is implied (kṛṣṇatara/śuklatama), but the takeaway is practical: linguistic refinement alone is not the goal unless it serves realization of the imperishable.