Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

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

Advaita

Devanagari script

परमार्थभूतं तत्रापि श्रूयतां गदतो मम । यत्तु निष्पाद्यते कार्यं मृदा कारणभूतया ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

paramārthabhūtaṃ tatrāpi śrūyatāṃ gadato mama | yattu niṣpādyate kāryaṃ mṛdā kāraṇabhūtayā || 22 ||

Translation

たとえそこにおいても、我が語る最高の真理を聞け。生じるいかなる結果も、物質因としての粘土によって成就するのである。

Word by Word

• परमार्थभूतम्: that which is of the highest truth / truly real
• परमार्थभूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त, भू-धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; भूत-प्रत्ययान्त (क्त) कृदन्त; adjectival use qualifying an implied/understood विषय

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘let it be heard’

• गदतः: of (me) speaking
• गदतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘of (me) speaking’

• मम: my/of me
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• निष्पाद्यते: is produced/accomplished
• निष्पाद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष्+पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘is produced/accomplished’

• कार्यम्: an effect/work (product)
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• मृदा: by/with clay
• मृदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental)

• कारणभूतया: as (being) the cause
• कारणभूतया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त, भू-धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; भूत-प्रत्ययान्त (क्त) कृदन्त; ‘being the cause’ qualifying मृदा

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-Dharma section)

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 points to paramārtha (highest truth) through a classic cause–effect illustration: the visible product depends upon its underlying material cause, encouraging the seeker to look beyond names and forms to the sustaining reality.

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

By training the mind to see the underlying cause behind changing forms, the verse supports bhakti as steady God-centered vision—seeing all effects as dependent on the ultimate ground, which devotion worships as the true support of the world.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Nyaya-style reasoning used in śāstric teaching: an illustration (dṛṣṭānta) to establish a principle (siddhānta). While not a direct Vedanga lesson, it reflects the disciplined logic employed alongside Vyākaraṇa/śāstra study in traditional exegesis.