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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Janaka Instructs Śuka: Āśrama-Sequence, Guru-Dependence, and Marks of Liberation

आचार्यः प्लाविता तस्य ज्ञानं प्लव इहोच्यते । विज्ञाय कृतकृत्यस्तु तीर्णस्तत्रोभयं त्यजेत् ॥ २० ॥

ācāryaḥ plāvitā tasya jñānaṃ plava ihocyate | vijñāya kṛtakṛtyastu tīrṇastatrobhayaṃ tyajet || 20 ||

Bagi dirinya, ācārya ialah yang menyeberangkannya; dan pengetahuan di sini disebut sebagai perahu penyeberangan. Setelah menyedari kebenaran dan menjadi orang yang telah menyempurnakan apa yang perlu disempurnakan, sesudah menyeberang hendaklah ia melepaskan kedua-duanya (Guru sebagai sarana dan pengetahuan sebagai sarana).

आचार्यःthe teacher
आचार्यः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootआचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
प्लाविता(is) the one who ferries across
प्लाविता:
Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्लु (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ācāryaḥ)
तस्यof him/for him
तस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
ज्ञानम्knowledge
ज्ञानम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
प्लवःa raft
प्लवः:
Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
TypeNoun
Rootप्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ज्ञानम् इति विषयस्य विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)
इहhere
इह:
Desha-Adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण/locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb) = 'here/in this world'
उच्यतेis said/called
उच्यते:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)
विज्ञायhaving realized
विज्ञाय:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/preceding action)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + ज्ञा (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = 'having known/realized'
कृत-कृत्यःone who has accomplished what is to be done
कृत-कृत्यः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (one whose duty is done)
तुindeed
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle) = 'but/indeed'
तीर्णःhaving crossed over
तीर्णः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootतॄ (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (past active participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'having crossed'
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Desha-Adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb) = 'there/in that state'
उभयम्both (things)
उभयम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootउभय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
त्यजेत्should abandon
त्यजेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootत्यज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

It teaches that guru and jñāna are indispensable means to cross saṃsāra, but after direct realization one should not cling to the instruments—freedom includes non-attachment even to sacred means.

While the verse is framed in jñāna-language, it supports bhakti by emphasizing surrender to guidance (ācārya) and then resting in the attained truth without egoic clinging to methods—mature devotion culminates in effortless abiding.

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is sādhanā-viveka—treat teachings and techniques as a raft for crossing, not as possessions to be held onto after realization.