Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 138

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

ध्यानं सद्भिनिर्गदितं प्रत्ययस्यैकतानता । ध्यानं कृत्वा मुहुर्त्तं वा परं मोक्षं लभेन्नरः ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

dhyānaṃ sadbhinirgaditaṃ pratyayasyaikatānatā | dhyānaṃ kṛtvā muhurttaṃ vā paraṃ mokṣaṃ labhennaraḥ || 38 ||

Translation

บัณฑิตกล่าวว่า “ธยาน” คือความต่อเนื่องแห่งจิตที่ตั้งมั่นอยู่ในอารมณ์เดียว ผู้ใดปฏิบัติธยานนั้นแม้เพียงหนึ่งมุหูรตะ ก็ย่อมบรรลุโมกษะอันสูงสุด

Word by Word

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; abstract noun

• सद्भिः: by the good/wise (persons)
• सद्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; instrumental

• निर्गदितम्: declared/expounded
• निर्गदितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि√गद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘ध्यानम्’

• प्रत्ययस्य: of the conviction/faith
• प्रत्ययस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; genitive

• एकतानता: one-pointedness/continuity
• एकतानता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + तानता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; abstract noun

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; object of ‘कृत्वा’ (having done)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having done’

• मुहूर्त्तम्: for a muhūrta (a short time)
• मुहूर्त्तम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; accusative of duration (कालाधिकरणार्थे)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (particle of alternative)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; qualifies ‘मोक्षम्’

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a moksha-oriented discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It gives a precise technical definition of dhyāna as unbroken one-pointedness of a single cognition and emphasizes that even a relatively short, concentrated practice can lead to supreme mokṣa when it is truly steady and continuous.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While framed as dhyāna, it supports bhakti by implying that continuous, single-minded absorption in the chosen divine object (commonly Vishnu in Narada Purana practice) is the essence of effective contemplation—turning devotion into unwavering inner remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses the traditional time-measure muhūrta (relevant to Jyotiṣa/time-reckoning) to make the practice measurable, teaching that disciplined timing plus one-pointed mental continuity is central to successful sādhanā.