Shloka 36

Nārāyaṇasya Guhya-nāmāni Niruktāni (Etymologies of Nārāyaṇa’s Secret Epithets) / नारायणस्य गुह्यनामानि निरुक्तानि

Devanagari script

विद्या कर्म च शौचं च ज्ञानं च बहुविस्तरम्‌ । अर्थार्थमनुसार्यन्ते सिद्धार्थश्व॒ विमुच्यते

Transliteration

vidyā karma ca śaucaṁ ca jñānaṁ ca bahuvistaram | arthārtham anusāryante siddhārthaś ca vimucyate ||

Translation

நாரதர் கூறினார்—கல்வி, செயல் (கர்மம்), தூய்மை, மேலும் பல கிளைகளாக விரிந்த அறிவு—இவை அனைத்தும் பரம இலக்கை அடைவதற்காகவே நாடப்படுகின்றன. அந்த இலக்கு நிறைவேறும்போது—உயர்ந்த நோக்கம் பூர்த்தியாகும்போது—மனிதன் விடுதலை (மோக்ஷம்) அடைகிறான்.

Word by Word

• {'vidyā': 'learning

• spiritual and scriptural education', 'karma': 'action

• prescribed duty and disciplined practice', 'śaucam': 'purity

• cleanliness and inner moral purity', 'jñānam': 'knowledge

• discriminative insight into reality', 'bahu-vistaram': 'very extensive

• elaborated in many details/branches', 'artha': 'aim, purpose

• (in this context) the highest end, i.e., realization of the Supreme Self', 'arthārtham': 'for the sake of that aim

• for the sake of the highest purpose', 'anusāryante': 'are followed/pursued

• are taken as means', 'siddha-arthaḥ': 'one whose purpose is accomplished

• one who has attained the goal', 'vimucyate': 'is freed

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

All disciplines—study (vidyā), dutiful action (karma), purity (śauca), and extensive knowledge (jñāna)—are instruments aimed at the highest end (artha), namely realization of the Supreme Self. Once that end is attained, the seeker becomes free (vimucyate).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and liberation, Nārada is explaining a hierarchy of means and ends: spiritual practices and learning are valuable as supports, but their purpose is fulfilled only when the ultimate goal is realized, culminating in liberation.