Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4
Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā
कीदृशो जीवतां जीवः क्व वा गच्छंति ये मृताः । अस्माल्लोकादमुं लोकं सर्वं शंसतु मे भवान् ॥ ४ ॥
kīdṛśo jīvatāṃ jīvaḥ kva vā gacchaṃti ye mṛtāḥ | asmāllokādamuṃ lokaṃ sarvaṃ śaṃsatu me bhavān || 4 ||
Apakah sifat jīva dalam makhluk yang hidup, dan ke manakah pergi mereka yang telah mati? Dari dunia ini ke dunia yang lain, mohon tuan yang mulia jelaskan semuanya kepadaku.
Narada (inquirer, addressing Sanatkumara)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It frames a core Moksha-Dharma inquiry: understanding the jīva’s true nature and the soul’s destination after death, which sets the groundwork for teachings on karma, lokas, and liberation.
This verse is an opening question rather than a bhakti instruction, but it motivates the later conclusion typical of Moksha sections: knowing the jīva’s journey leads seekers toward the highest refuge—often expressed as devotion to the Supreme (Vishnu/Narayana) beyond mere worldly destinations.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa ritual procedure) is taught in this verse; it is a philosophical prompt that precedes doctrinal explanation about death, karma, and loka-transition.