Previous Verse
Next Verse

Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Threefold Suffering, Twofold Knowledge, and the Definition of Bhagavān (Vāsudeva); Prelude to Keśidhvaja–Janaka Yoga

स ज्ञायते येन तदस्तदोषं शुद्धं परं निर्मलमेव रूपम् । संदृश्यते चाप्यवगम्यते च तज्ज्ञानमतोऽन्यदुक्तम् ॥ ३० ॥

sa jñāyate yena tadastadoṣaṃ śuddhaṃ paraṃ nirmalameva rūpam | saṃdṛśyate cāpyavagamyate ca tajjñānamato'nyaduktam || 30 ||

由此而能认识那无过失、清净、超越且本质全然无垢的至上者;又由此而仿佛得以亲见并真实了悟者——唯此方名为“知识”;其余一切,皆被说为非知识。

saḥhim/that (Brahman)
saḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPumliṅga, Nominative, Singular
jñāyateis known
jñāyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootjñā (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra, Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग), 3rd person, Singular; ‘is known’
yenaby which
yena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; relative pronoun ‘by which’
tatthat
tat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; refers to ‘that (knowledge/means)’
asta-doṣamfaultless
asta-doṣam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootasta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Accusative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि: ‘whose दोष (faults) are set/removed’ = faultless
śuddhampure
śuddham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootśuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Accusative, Singular
paramsupreme
param:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Accusative, Singular; ‘supreme’
nirmalamstainless
nirmalam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootnirmala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Accusative, Singular
evaindeed
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle (निपात)
rūpamform/nature
rūpam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootrūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Accusative, Singular
saṃdṛśyateis seen
saṃdṛśyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootdṛś (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra, Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd person, Singular; ‘is seen’
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
apialso
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात) ‘also/even’
avagamyateis understood
avagamyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootava+gam (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra, Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd person, Singular; ‘is understood/realized’
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
tat-jñānamthat knowledge
tat-jñānam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘that knowledge’
ataḥtherefore
ataḥ:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootataḥ (अव्यय)
FormCausal adverb (हेतुवाचक-अव्यय) ‘therefore/from this’
anyatanything else
anyat:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘other (thing)’
uktamis said
uktam:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Napumsaka, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used predicatively ‘is said’

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-dharma context)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

B
Brahman
P
Paramatman

FAQs

It defines ‘true knowledge’ as that which reveals the defectless, pure, transcendent Supreme through direct realization and clear understanding—everything else is inferior, merely conceptual, and not liberating.

While phrased in the language of jñāna, the verse supports bhakti by setting the goal as direct apprehension of the Supreme; devotion becomes authentic when it culminates in experiential clarity of the Lord’s stainless, supreme nature rather than remaining only ritual or emotion.

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana or Jyotisha) is taught here; the practical takeaway is discernment (viveka): treat technical learning as supportive, but measure it by whether it leads to direct realization and stable understanding of the Supreme.