Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Description of the Glory of the Purāṇa

Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वाथ तत्राखिलशास्त्रसारं शिवागमं ते पशुपाशमोक्षणम् । जग्मुस्ततो ज्ञानघनस्वरूपा नत्वा पुरारिं स्वपितुर्निकाशम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

śrutvātha tatrākhilaśāstrasāraṃ śivāgamaṃ te paśupāśamokṣaṇam | jagmustato jñānaghanasvarūpā natvā purāriṃ svapiturnikāśam || 3 ||

Translation

Nghe tại đó Thánh điển Śiva-Āgama—tinh túy của mọi śāstra, ban sự giải thoát khỏi dây trói của jīva—những bậc có bản tánh là khối trí tuệ thuần nhất liền ra đi; rồi đảnh lễ Đấng diệt Tripura (Śiva), họ đến trước phụ thân của mình.

Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त), from √śru ‘to hear’

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indicating sequence

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• akhila-śāstra-sāram: the essence of all scriptures
• akhila-śāstra-sāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of all śāstras’ + ‘essence’

• śiva-āgamam: the Śiva-āgama (scripture)
• śiva-āgamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + āgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘Śiva’s āgama’

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; pronoun

• paśu-pāśa-mokṣaṇam: liberation from the paśu-bondage
• paśu-pāśa-mokṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + mokṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘release from the bonds (pāśa) of the paśu (bound soul)’

• jagmuḥ: went
• jagmuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural; √gam ‘to go’

• tataḥ: thereafter/from there
• tataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तस्मात्/ततः), ablatival sense

• jñāna-ghana-svarūpāḥ: having the nature of dense knowledge
• jñāna-ghana-svarūpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ghana (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ: ‘whose nature is a mass of knowledge’ (used adjectivally for te)

• natvā: having bowed
• natvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √nam ‘to bow’

• purāriṃ: Purāri (Śiva)
• purāriṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; epithet of Śiva ‘enemy of Tripura’

• sva-pituḥ: of (their) own father
• sva-pituḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘of their own father’

• nikāśam: near (the presence)
• nikāśam: Gati/Adhikaraṇa (गति/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially ‘near/into the presence’

Speaker

Suta (narration within the Purana’s summary/anukramanika style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Purari/Tripurantaka)
• Shiva Agama

FAQs

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

It frames Śiva-Āgama as śāstra-sāra (the distilled essence of scriptural wisdom) specifically because it teaches paśu-pāśa-mokṣaṇa—liberation of the bound soul from bondage—highlighting mokṣa as the culmination of sacred knowledge.

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

Bhakti is implied through the act of 'natvā'—bowing to Śiva (Purāri). Reverent surrender to the deity accompanies the reception of liberating knowledge, showing devotion and jñāna moving together toward freedom.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Rather than a specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa), the verse emphasizes śāstra-sāra—integrated doctrinal knowledge—presented as an Āgamic mokṣa-teaching focused on the soul (paśu) and bondage (pāśa).