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 ||
جس اصل کے اوصاف غیر متعین ہوں، اس کے بارے میں لوگ ‘ہے’ اور ‘نہیں ہے’ بھی کہتے ہیں۔ پھر کس بنیاد پر دنیاوی طرزِ عمل اور زندگی کی راہ کا قطعی فیصلہ بتایا جائے؟
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.