Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

अविकारमजं शुद्धं स्वप्रकाशं निरंजनम् । ज्ञानरुपं सदानंदं प्राहुर्वैमोक्षसाधनम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

avikāramajaṃ śuddhaṃ svaprakāśaṃ niraṃjanam | jñānarupaṃ sadānaṃdaṃ prāhurvaimokṣasādhanam || 11 ||

Translation

अविकार, अज, शुद्ध, स्वप्रकाश, निरंजन—ज्याचे स्वरूप ज्ञान व सदानंद आहे—त्या तत्त्वालाच ते मोक्षाचे खरे साधन म्हणतात।

Word by Word

• अविकारम्: unchanging
• अविकारम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (of the implied object ‘him/that’)

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• शुद्धम्: pure
• शुद्धम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• स्वप्रकाशम्: self-luminous
• स्वप्रकाशम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—स्वयम् प्रकाशः (कर्मधारय)

• निरञ्जनम्: stainless, untainted
• निरञ्जनम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—अञ्जनं नास्ति यस्य/अञ्जनात् निर्गतः (नञ्/उपसर्ग-तत्पुरुषभाव)

• ज्ञानरूपम्: whose nature is knowledge
• ज्ञानरूपम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—ज्ञानं रूपं यस्य (तत्पुरुष)

• सदानन्दम्: ever-blissful
• सदानन्दम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—सदा आनन्दः (कर्मधारय)

• प्राहुः: they have said
• प्राहुः: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed)

• मोक्षसाधनम्: means to liberation
• मोक्षसाधनम्: कर्म (Object complement of ‘they call’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—मोक्षस्य साधनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a moksha-dharma context)

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 defines the liberating realization: knowing the ultimate Reality as changeless, unborn, pure, self-revealing consciousness and eternal bliss—this recognition itself is presented as the direct means to moksha.

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

While the verse speaks in jñāna language, it supports bhakti by clarifying the object of devotion: the stainless, self-luminous, ever-blissful Supreme. Bhakti becomes steady when directed to this niranjana Reality rather than to transient forms alone.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; it is primarily Vedanta-oriented moksha-dharma, emphasizing contemplative discrimination and meditation on Brahman’s attributes (avikāra, svaprakāśa, nirañjana).