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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

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

अस्ति नास्तीति चाप्येतत्तस्मिन्नसितलक्षणे । किमधिष्टाय तद् ब्रूयाल्लोकयात्राविनिश्चयम् ॥ २७ ॥

asti nāstīti cāpyetattasminnasitalakṣaṇe | kimadhiṣṭāya tad brūyāllokayātrāviniścayam || 27 ||

ในหลักการที่ลักษณะไม่อาจชี้ขาดนั้น ผู้คนยังกล่าวว่า ‘มี’ และ ‘ไม่มี’ แล้วจะอาศัยฐานใดจึงกล่าวกฎแห่งการดำเนินชีวิตในโลกได้อย่างแน่นอน?

अस्तिexists
अस्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध (negation particle)
अस्तिexists
अस्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
इतिthus; ‘…’
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय (conjunction)
अपिalso; even
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Addition)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object—‘this (view)’)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
तस्मिन्in that
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
असितलक्षणेin the ‘dark/unclear’ characteristic (state)
असितलक्षणे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootअसित + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (asitaṃ lakṣaṇam)
किम्what
किम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object—‘what’)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक
अधिष्ठायhaving relied on; based on
अधिष्ठाय:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
TypeVerb
Rootअधि + स्था (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having based on/depending on’
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
ब्रूयात्should say; should explain
ब्रूयात्:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
लोकयात्राविनिश्चयम्the determination of worldly conduct/life
लोकयात्राविनिश्चयम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootलोक + यात्रा + विनिश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (lokayātrāyāḥ viniścayaḥ)

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada in the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

It highlights the limits of purely speculative metaphysics—when reality is described as indeterminate, contradictory claims (“exists/does not exist”) arise, so spiritual life must be grounded in a clearer pramāṇa (valid means of knowledge) and lived discipline leading toward mokṣa.

By questioning uncertain doctrines, the verse implicitly supports taking refuge in a reliable foundation—such as devotion to Bhagavan taught by śāstra and guru—so one’s life-path (lokayātrā) becomes steady rather than shaken by abstract doubt.

It points to the need for pramāṇa-based clarity central to śāstric reasoning (closely aligned with Nyāya-style discernment); without a firm basis for meaning and certainty, even correct practice and dharma-guidance become difficult to establish.