Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 82
Śreyas and Paramārtha: The Ribhu–Nidāgha Teaching on Non-Dual Self
Advaita
ऋभुरुवाच । त्वं राजेव द्विजश्रेष्ट स्थितोऽहं गजवद्यदि । तदेवं त्वं समाचक्ष्व कतमस्त्वमहं तथा ॥ ८२ ॥
ṛbhuruvāca | tvaṃ rājeva dvijaśreṣṭa sthito'haṃ gajavadyadi | tadevaṃ tvaṃ samācakṣva katamastvamahaṃ tathā || 82 ||
ऋभु बोले—हे द्विजश्रेष्ठ! यदि तुम राजा की भाँति स्थित हो और मैं हाथी की तरह रखा गया हूँ, तो स्पष्ट बताओ—तब मैं क्या हूँ और तुम क्या हो?
Ṛbhu
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It challenges role-based identity (king/elephant as mere positions) and pushes the listener toward self-inquiry—asking what the ‘I’ truly is beyond imposed status, a key move in Moksha-dharma teaching.
Indirectly: by loosening attachment to worldly rank and comparison, it prepares the mind for single-pointed devotion—Bhakti becomes steadier when egoic identity (“I am this/that”) is questioned.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is disciplined inquiry (vicāra) and precise meaning—clarifying terms and assumptions before drawing conclusions.