Śreyas and Paramārtha: The Ribhu–Nidāgha Teaching on Non-Dual Self
Advaita
देवादिभेदमध्यास्ते नास्त्येवाचरणो हि सः । श्रृण्वत्र भूप प्राग्वृत्तं यद्गीतमृभुणा भवेत् ॥ ३४ ॥
devādibhedamadhyāste nāstyevācaraṇo hi saḥ | śrṛṇvatra bhūpa prāgvṛttaṃ yadgītamṛbhuṇā bhavet || 34 ||
‘ദേവൻ’ മുതലായ ഭേദങ്ങളിൽ കുടുങ്ങിയവന് സത്യമായ ആചരണം ഇല്ല. ഇനി കേൾക്കുക, രാജാവേ, പുരാതനമായ ഒരു വൃത്താന്തം—ഒരിക്കൽ ഋഭു പാടിയതു.
Sanatkumara (addressing the king within the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
It warns that fixation on hierarchical labels (like ‘deva’ vs ‘non-deva’) keeps one in divisive thinking, obstructing true ācāra rooted in liberating knowledge; it then introduces an authoritative ancient teaching (Ṛbhu’s song) as corrective wisdom.
By implying that mature devotion must transcend egoic comparison and sectarian ranking; when the mind drops divisive bheda, devotion becomes steadier and more aligned with moksha-oriented conduct.
Primarily dharma-ācāra (right practice) framed through instructive narration (itihāsa/prāgvṛtta) rather than a technical Vedanga; the verse functions as a pedagogical transition into a cited teaching (gīta) used for doctrinal clarity.