Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30
Jīva–Ātman Inquiry; Kṣetrajña Doctrine; Karma-based Varṇa; Four Āśramas and Sannyāsa Discipline
भरद्वाज उवाच । यद्यग्निमारुतौ भूमिः खमापश्च शरीरिषु । जीवः किंलक्षणस्तत्रेत्येतदाचक्ष्व मेऽनघ ॥ ३० ॥
bharadvāja uvāca | yadyagnimārutau bhūmiḥ khamāpaśca śarīriṣu | jīvaḥ kiṃlakṣaṇastatretyetadācakṣva me'nagha || 30 ||
婆罗多婆阇说道：“若在具身众生之中，地、水、虚空，以及火与风皆具足，那么其中的吉瓦（jīva）以何为其决定性的特征？噢无罪者，请为我开示。”
Bharadvāja
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It frames the central moksha inquiry: the body is composed of the five great elements, but liberation depends on discerning the distinct nature (lakṣaṇa) of the jīva beyond those material constituents.
By distinguishing the jīva from elemental matter, the verse prepares the ground for devotion as the conscious self’s turning toward the Supreme—bhakti becomes meaningful when the devotee knows they are not merely the body.
A foundational sāṅkhya-style categorization used across śāstra: identifying the pañca-mahābhūtas in the body and asking for the jīva’s defining mark—an analytical method supporting scriptural study and contemplative practice.