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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 146

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

निर्गुणोऽपि परो देवो ह्यज्ञानाद्गुणवानिव । विभात्यज्ञाननाशे तु यथापूर्वं व्यवस्थितम् ॥ ४६ ॥

nirguṇo'pi paro devo hyajñānādguṇavāniva | vibhātyajñānanāśe tu yathāpūrvaṃ vyavasthitam || 46 ||

แม้พระผู้เป็นเจ้าสูงสุดจะเป็นนิรคุณ แต่เพราะอวิทยาจึงปรากฏประหนึ่งมีคุณ; ครั้นอวิทยาถูกทำลายแล้ว พระองค์ย่อมส่องประกายดังเดิม ตั้งมั่นในสภาวะดั้งเดิมของพระองค์.

nirguṇaḥwithout qualities
nirguṇaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्
apieven though
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-अव्ययम् (even/also)
paraḥsupreme
paraḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्
devaḥthe Lord (deva)
devaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
hiindeed
hi:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
Formनिपात-अव्ययम् (indeed/for)
ajñānātdue to ignorance
ajñānāt:
Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootajñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (ablative singular); हेतुः (cause)
guṇavānpossessing qualities
guṇavān:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootguṇavat (प्रातिपदिक; मतुप्)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्
ivaas if
iva:
Upamā (उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
Formउपमा-अव्ययम् (like/as if)
vibhātishines/appears
vibhāti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvi-bhā (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्
ajñāna-nāśewhen ignorance is destroyed
ajñāna-nāśe:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
TypeNoun
Rootajñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम्; अधिकरणम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अज्ञानस्य नाशः)
tuthen/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण/विरोध-अव्ययम् (but/indeed)
yathā-pūrvamas before
yathā-pūrvam:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)
vyavasthitam(it is) established/settled
vyavasthitam:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi-ava-sthā (धातु) → vyavasthita (कृदन्त/क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; भावे/वस्तुनि ‘स्थितम्’ (established); (अत्र ‘यथापूर्वं’ इति सह—‘as previously established’)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a jñāna-oriented exposition)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

D
Deva (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

It teaches that the Supreme is inherently nirguṇa (beyond material qualities), and the sense that God has limiting attributes arises from ajñāna; liberation is the clear recognition of His original, unchanged reality.

It implies that bhakti matures from worshiping the Lord as perceived (with qualities and forms) to realizing His transcendence; devotion becomes purified as ignorance falls away and the Lord is known as He truly is.

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is Vedāntic discernment (viveka) between appearance born of ignorance and the Lord’s true, unconditioned nature.