Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87

Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State

Devanagari script

इमं हि यः पठति विमोक्षनिश्चयं महामुने सततमवेक्षते तथा । उपद्रवाननुभवते ह्यदुः खितः प्रमुच्यते कपिलमिवैत्य मैथिलः ॥ ८७ ॥

Transliteration

imaṃ hi yaḥ paṭhati vimokṣaniścayaṃ mahāmune satatamavekṣate tathā | upadravānanubhavate hyaduḥ khitaḥ pramucyate kapilamivaitya maithilaḥ || 87 ||

Translation

മഹാമുനേ, ഈ ‘വിമോക്ഷനിശ്ചയം’ പാരായണം ചെയ്ത് നിരന്തരം ധ്യാനിക്കുന്നവൻ ഉപദ്രവങ്ങൾ അനുഭവിക്കുകയില്ല; ദുഃഖരഹിതനായി മോചിതനാകും—മൈഥിലരാജാവ് കപിലനെ പ്രാപിച്ചതുപോലെ।

Word by Word

• imam: this
• imam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; emphatic/causal particle (निपात)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• paṭhati: recites/reads
• paṭhati: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paṭh (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vimokṣa-niścayam: the determination/teaching of liberation
• vimokṣa-niścayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimokṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: 'vimokṣasya niścayaḥ'

• mahā-mune: O great sage
• mahā-mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; कर्मधारय

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रयोग)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (नित्यत्ववाचक)

• avekṣate: contemplates/observes
• avekṣate: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathā: thus/in that way
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• upadravān: afflictions/troubles
• upadravān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upadrava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• anubhavate: experiences
• anubhavate: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√bhū (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; particle (निपात)

• aduḥkhitaḥ: unafflicted/not distressed
• aduḥkhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + duḥkhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; negative prefix a- (नञ्)

• pramucyate: is released
• pramucyate: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√muc (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• kapilam: Kapila
• kapilam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; comparative particle (उपमावाचक)

• etya: having approached
• etya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √i (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having gone/approached'

• maithilaḥ: the Maithila (king)
• maithilaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Maithila (Janaka)

FAQs

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

It asserts that repeated study (paṭhana) combined with constant contemplation (satatam avekṣaṇa/manana) stabilizes liberating knowledge, making one unshaken by worldly afflictions and leading to release (pramokṣa).

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

Though framed in Moksha-dharma and jñāna, it supports bhakti practice indirectly: steady remembrance and contemplation of liberating truth functions like continuous smaraṇa, which in Vishnu-bhakti becomes sustained absorption that dissolves fear and sorrow.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The emphasis is on disciplined adhyayana (textual study/recitation) and manana (reflective inquiry), aligning with Vyākaraṇa-supported correct recitation and the broader śāstric method of learning: hearing/reading, repeating, and contemplating to form niścaya (firm conviction).