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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State

यत्तदेकाक्षरं ब्रह्म नानारूपं प्रदृश्यते । आसुरिर्मंडले तस्मिन्प्रतिपेदे तमव्ययम् ॥ १५ ॥

yattadekākṣaraṃ brahma nānārūpaṃ pradṛśyate | āsurirmaṃḍale tasminpratipede tamavyayam || 15 ||

พรหมันผู้เป็น “อักษรเดียว” อันไม่เสื่อมสลาย แม้เป็นหนึ่งเดียว ก็ปรากฏให้เห็นเป็นนานารูป ในมณฑลนั้นเอง ฤๅษีอาสุริได้บรรลุรู้สัจธรรมอันเที่ยงแท้ ไม่แปรเปลี่ยนนั้น॥ ๑๕ ॥

yatwhich (that)
yat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
tatthat
tat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ सर्वनाम (demonstrative)
eka-akṣaramsingle-syllabled/one imperishable (letter)
eka-akṣaram:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)
brahmaBrahman
brahma:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
nānā-rūpamof many forms
nānā-rūpam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootnānā (अव्यय) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण
pradṛśyateis seen/appears
pradṛśyate:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra√dṛś (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)
āsuriḥĀsuri
āsuriḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootāsuri (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम
maṇḍalein the circle/assembly
maṇḍale:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootmaṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
tasminin that
tasmin:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
pratipederealized/attained
pratipede:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprati√pad (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
tamthat (him/it)
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
avyayamimperishable
avyayam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Roota-vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

B
Brahman
O
Om
A
Asuri

FAQs

It teaches that the One imperishable Brahman—identified with the ekākṣara (Om)—appears as the manifold universe, yet remains unchanged; liberation comes from realizing that imperishable Reality as Āsuri did.

By affirming that the many divine forms worshipped in bhakti are appearances of the one imperishable Brahman, it supports devotion as a valid approach that can culminate in realizing the One behind all forms.

It highlights the upāsanā of the ekākṣara (Om) and its correct understanding—linked to Śikṣā (proper recitation/pronunciation) and Vyākaraṇa (precision of sacred syllables) as supports for contemplative practice.