Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 130

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

जितेन्द्रिया महात्मानो ध्यानशून्या अपि द्विज । प्रयान्ति परमं ब्रह्म पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

jitendriyā mahātmāno dhyānaśūnyā api dvija | prayānti paramaṃ brahma punarāvṛttidurlabham || 30 ||

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജാ! ഇന്ദ്രിയജയികളായ മഹാത്മാക്കൾ—വിധിപൂർവ്വ ധ്യാനം ഇല്ലെങ്കിലും—പുനരാവർത്തി ദുർലഭമായ പരബ്രഹ്മത്തെ പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• jitendriyāḥ: those who have conquered senses
• jitendriyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jitendriya (jita-indriya)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• mahātmānaḥ: great souls
• mahātmānaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (mahā-ātman)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• dhyānaśūnyāḥ: devoid of (formal) meditation
• dhyānaśūnyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyānaśūnya (dhyāna-śūnya)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• api: even / although
• api: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• dvija: O twice-born (Brahmin)
• dvija: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Singular

• prayānti: go forth / attain
• prayānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-yā (प्र-या)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Plural

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• punarāvṛttidurlabham: difficult to return from (free from rebirth)
• punarāvṛttidurlabham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: punarāvṛttidurlabha (punar-āvṛtti-durlabha)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a moksha-oriented discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

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

It elevates indriya-nigraha (mastery over the senses) as a decisive qualification for liberation, stating that such purified souls can reach Parama Brahman even without structured meditative practice.

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

By stressing sense-control, it supports bhakti as a disciplined life where the mind is withdrawn from distractions; steady devotion becomes possible when the senses are mastered, leading toward the Supreme Reality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is ethical-spiritual discipline (yama/indriya-samyama) as a prerequisite for higher knowledge and worship.