Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Janaka Instructs Śuka: Āśrama-Sequence, Guru-Dependence, and Marks of Liberation

Devanagari script

भावितैः कारणैश्चार्यं बहुसंसारयोनिषु । आसादयति शुद्धात्मा मोक्षं हि प्रथमाश्रमे ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

bhāvitaiḥ kāraṇaiścāryaṃ bahusaṃsārayoniṣu | āsādayati śuddhātmā mokṣaṃ hi prathamāśrame || 22 ||

Translation

Ô vénérable, par des causes bien cultivées (disciplines justes) amassées au fil de nombreuses naissances dans le cycle du saṁsāra, l’âme purifiée atteint véritablement la délivrance, même dès le premier āśrama de la vie.

Word by Word

• भावितैः: by cultivated/formed
• भावितैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावित (भू धातु, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); कारणैः इति विशेषण

• कारणैः: by causes/means
• कारणैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आर्यम्: noble
• आर्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); मोक्षम् इति विशेषण (noble)

• बहु-संसार-योनिषु: in many births of saṃsāra
• बहु-संसार-योनिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (योनि), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास (संसार-योनिः = 'births in saṃsāra') with बहु as पूर्वपद (many)

• आसादयति: attains/reaches
• आसादयति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शुद्ध-आत्मा: the pure-souled one
• शुद्ध-आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (pure-souled person)

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) = 'indeed/for'

• प्रथम-आश्रमे: in the first stage of life
• प्रथम-आश्रमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (first āśrama)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that moksha is not bound to age or social stage; when the inner self is purified by rightly cultivated causes (sādhana) carried over many lives, liberation can arise even in the first āśrama.

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

While not naming bhakti explicitly, it supports a core bhakti principle: steady cultivation of purifying practices over time (such as remembrance, worship, and surrender) ripens the heart, making liberation possible even early in life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes āśrama-dharma (life-stage discipline) and the practical principle of kāraṇa (effective means): sustained training and purification—supported by right conduct and study—are treated as the operative causes for moksha.