Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12
Śreyas and Paramārtha: The Ribhu–Nidāgha Teaching on Non-Dual Self
Advaita
ब्राह्मण उवाच । भूयः पृच्छसि किं श्रेयः परमार्थेन पृच्छसि । श्रेयांसि परमार्थानि ह्यशेषाण्येन भूपते ॥ १२ ॥
brāhmaṇa uvāca | bhūyaḥ pṛcchasi kiṃ śreyaḥ paramārthena pṛcchasi | śreyāṃsi paramārthāni hyaśeṣāṇyena bhūpate || 12 ||
Bà-la-môn nói: “Ngài lại hỏi về điều thiện tối thượng; ngài hỏi với tầm nhìn hướng đến mục đích tối hậu. Quả thật, tâu Đại vương, mọi ‘điều thiện’ chân thật đều không gì khác ngoài chính cứu cánh tối thượng ấy.”
Brāhmaṇa (unnamed teacher/sage)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that the truest welfare (śreyas) is inseparable from the supreme end (paramārtha)—liberation—so sincere spiritual inquiry should be oriented toward the ultimate goal, not merely worldly benefit.
By defining “real good” as the supreme aim, it supports the Narada Purana’s bhakti-oriented worldview: devotion is valuable when it is pursued as a direct means to the highest end (paramārtha), not as a tool for temporary gains.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is hermeneutic—evaluate rituals, vows, and disciplines by whether they lead to paramārtha (the ultimate purpose).