Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Threefold Suffering, Twofold Knowledge, and the Definition of Bhagavān (Vāsudeva); Prelude to Keśidhvaja–Janaka Yoga

Devanagari script

तत्र पूज्यपदार्थोक्तिः परिभाषासमन्वितः । शब्दोऽयं नोपचारेण चान्यत्र ह्युपचारतः ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

tatra pūjyapadārthoktiḥ paribhāṣāsamanvitaḥ | śabdo'yaṃ nopacāreṇa cānyatra hyupacārataḥ || 20 ||

Translation

ആ സന്ദർഭത്തിൽ ഈ ശബ്ദം പൂജ്യമായ തത്ത്വത്തെ സൂചിപ്പിക്കുകയും പരിഭാഷാ-നിയമത്തോടുകൂടി വരികയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. അവിടെ ഇത് ഉപചാരാർഥമല്ല; മറ്റിടങ്ങളിൽ മാത്രം ഉപചാരമായി (ലക്ഷണമായി) പ്രയോഗിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• tatra: there/in that context
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• pūjyapadārthoktiḥ: the expression of the worship-worthy sense
• pūjyapadārthoktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjya (प्रातिपदिक) + padārtha (प्रातिपदिक) + ukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); multi-member tatpuruṣa ‘statement (ukti) of the meaning (padārtha) of “pūjya”/the worship-worthy’

• paribhāṣāsamanvitaḥ: accompanied by a definition
• paribhāṣāsamanvitaḥ: Viśeṣya-predicative (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paribhāṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त, सम्+√i/√anv-i)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective to śabdaḥ: ‘endowed with a definition/technical rule’

• śabdaḥ: the word/term
• śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• na: not
• na: Niṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेधार्थक अव्यय)

• upacāreṇa: by figurative/secondary usage
• upacāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/instrument, ‘by figurative usage’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• anyatra: elsewhere/otherwise
• anyatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (स्थान/विषयवाचक अव्यय)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (निपात/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic/causal particle (हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय)

• upacārataḥ: by way of secondary sense
• upacārataḥ: Hetu-dyotaka (हेतु/कारणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upacāratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय) meaning ‘from/according to secondary usage’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a definitional/technical discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation-oriented instruction depends on precise meaning: when a term is defined by a paribhāṣā and points to a worship-worthy reality, it should be taken in its primary sense, not diluted into metaphor.

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

By insisting on primary meaning for a ‘pūjya’ referent, the verse supports focused devotion—worship is directed to the truly venerable object indicated by scripture, rather than to a merely figurative substitute.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights interpretive discipline akin to Vedāṅga Vyākaraṇa and Mīmāṃsā: distinguishing mukhya-vṛtti (primary meaning) from upacāra (secondary usage) using paribhāṣā rules.