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Shloka 12

Nārada Instructs the Pracetās: Bhakti as the Goal of All Paths

किं वा योगेन साङ्ख्येन न्यासस्वाध्याययोरपि । किं वा श्रेयोभिरन्यैश्च न यत्रात्मप्रदो हरि: ॥ १२ ॥

kiṁ vā yogena sāṅkhyena nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api kiṁ vā śreyobhir anyaiś ca na yatrātma-prado hariḥ

جہاں روح عطا کرنے والے ہری کی پہچان نہ ہو، وہاں یوگ، سانکھیہ، سنیاس، سوادھیائے اور دیگر نیک طریقے بھی کس کام کے؟ سب بے سود ہیں۔

किम्what (use)
किम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative used adverbially
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय
योगेनby yoga
योगेन:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन
साङ्ख्येनby Sāṅkhya (analysis)
साङ्ख्येन:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootसाङ्ख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे भेदः), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन
न्यास-स्वाध्याययोःin/of renunciation and self-study
न्यास-स्वाध्याययोः:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
TypeNoun
Rootन्यास + स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिके)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः; ‘न्यासयोः स्वाध्याययोः’—in/of renunciation and self-study
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)
किम्what (use)
किम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative used adverbially
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय
श्रेयःभिःby other beneficial means
श्रेयःभिः:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन
अन्यैःother
अन्यैः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formत्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; श्रेयःभिः इति विशेष्य
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
not
:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)
यत्रwhere
यत्र:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र (अव्यय)
Formसम्बन्ध/देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)
आत्म-प्रदःgiver of the Self (liberation)
आत्म-प्रदः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootआत्मन् + प्रद (कृदन्त; √दा + प्र; क)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘आत्मानं प्रददाति’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुषः; हरिः इति विशेष्य
हरिःHari
हरिः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootहरि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

In Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Madhya 24.109) it is said:

H
Hari

FAQs

This verse says that yoga, Sāṅkhya (jnana), renunciation, and even Vedic study are ultimately of little value if they are not connected to Śrī Hari, the giver of true self-realization.

In their prayers, the Pracetās highlight that all disciplines become fruitful only when they lead to the Lord; without Hari, practices may remain indirect or incomplete in granting the soul’s true fulfillment.

Use study, meditation, and self-discipline as supports for devotion—regularly connect them to remembrance, worship, and service of Hari, so spiritual practice leads to inner transformation rather than mere technique.