Shloka 20

Puruṣottama-māhātmya

The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra

Devanagari script

सर्वांगेभ्यो यथा श्रेष्ठमुत्तमांगं विधातृजे । यथा समस्तविद्यानां मोक्षविद्या परा स्मृता ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

sarvāṃgebhyo yathā śreṣṭhamuttamāṃgaṃ vidhātṛje | yathā samastavidyānāṃ mokṣavidyā parā smṛtā || 20 ||

Translation

O anak ni Brahmā, kung paanong ang ulo ang pinakamainam sa lahat ng sangkap ng katawan, gayon din sa lahat ng kaalaman, ang kaalamang nagdadala sa mokṣa (kalayaan) ang inaalalang pinakadakila.

Word by Word

• सर्वाङ्गेभ्यः: from/among all limbs
• सर्वाङ्गेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वाणि अङ्गानि)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक

• श्रेष्ठम्: best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative: “best”)

• उत्तमाङ्गम्: the head (best limb)
• उत्तमाङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (उत्तमम् अङ्गम्)

• विधातृजे: O son of the Creator (Brahmā)
• विधातृजे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विधातुः जः = Brahmā’s son)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक

• समस्तविद्यानाम्: of all sciences/knowledges
• समस्तविद्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (समस्ताः विद्याः)

• मोक्षविद्या: the knowledge of liberation
• मोक्षविद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मोक्षस्य विद्या)

• परा: supreme
• परा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृता: is considered/called
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative verbal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय (is called/considered)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It ranks spiritual priorities: as the head governs the body, mokṣa-vidyā (liberating wisdom) is presented as the highest pursuit, guiding all other practices toward final freedom.

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

By placing liberation as the supreme aim, it implicitly frames bhakti (especially Vishnu-bhakti in the Narada tradition) as valuable when it culminates in moksha—devotion ripening into liberating realization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse does not teach a specific Vedāṅga technique (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa); instead, it gives a hierarchy of aims, implying that technical sciences are supportive, while mokṣa-vidyā is the crown.