Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

Śreyas and Paramārtha: The Ribhu–Nidāgha Teaching on Non-Dual Self

Advaita

Devanagari script

भेदकारि परेभ्यस्तु परमार्थो न भेदवान् । परमार्थात्मनोर्योगः परमार्थ इतीष्यते ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

bhedakāri parebhyastu paramārtho na bhedavān | paramārthātmanoryogaḥ paramārtha itīṣyate || 27 ||

Translation

差别只是在与他物相对时才显现；至上的真实（Paramārtha）本身并无分裂。至上真实与我（Ātman）的合一，即被宣说为至上真理。

Word by Word

• भेदकारि: causing division
• भेदकारि: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भेद-कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातु-निष्पन्न -in प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter, nominative/accusative singular; adjectival)

• परेभ्यः: from/than others
• परेभ्यः: अपादान (Ablative source/standard)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (अपादान), बहुवचन (masculine, ablative plural)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/अवधारणार्थकः (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• परमार्थः: the Supreme Reality
• परमार्थः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• भेदवान्: possessing division
• भेदवान्: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भेदवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine, nominative singular; adjective)

• परमार्थात्मनोः: of the Supreme Reality and the self
• परमार्थात्मनोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमार्थ-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; परमार्थ + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन (masculine, genitive dual)

• योगः: union
• योगः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• परमार्थः: (is) Supreme Reality
• परमार्थः: प्रत्यय/विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरण (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ईष्यते: is considered/held
• ईष्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि प्रयोगः, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, passive, 3rd person singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It states that duality is a conceptual appearance dependent on comparisons, while the Supreme Reality is intrinsically non-dual; liberation is the direct realization of the Self’s identity/union with that Supreme Truth.

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

By removing the sense of separation, it reframes devotion as moving from “I and God” toward intimacy and oneness in realization—where love matures into steady absorption in the Supreme without the anxiety of difference.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga practice is taught in this verse; it is primarily Vedantic moksha-dharma—discriminating the non-dual Paramartha from perceived differences created by the mind and relational thinking.