Shloka 31

उच्चैःश्रवसः वर्णविपणः तथा नागशापः

Uccaiḥśravas Color-Wager and the Nāga Curse

Devanagari script

ततो नारायणं देवं ब्रह्मा वचनमब्रवीत्‌ । विधत्स्वैषां बल॑ं विष्णो भवानत्र परायणम्‌,यह सुनकर ब्रह्माजीने भगवान्‌ नारायणसे यह बात कही--'सर्वव्यापी परमात्मन्‌! इन्हें बल प्रदान कीजिये, यहाँ एकमात्र आप ही सबके आश्रय हैं!

Transliteration

tato nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ brahmā vacanam abravīt | vidhatsvaiṣāṃ balaṃ viṣṇo bhavān atra parāyaṇam ||

Translation

ثم خاطب براهما الإلهَ نارايَنا قائلاً: «يا فيشنو، امنح هؤلاء القوة. ففي هذا الأمر أنت وحدك ملاذهم الأخير.»

Word by Word

• {'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'nārāyaṇam': 'Nārāyaṇa (the Supreme Lord, often identified with Viṣṇu)', 'devam': 'the god

• the divine one', 'brahmā': 'Brahmā (the creator deity)', 'vacanam': 'speech, statement, word', 'abravīt': 'said, spoke', 'vidhatsva': 'bestow, arrange, provide (imperative)', 'eṣām': 'of these (beings/persons)', 'balam': 'strength, power, might', 'viṣṇo': 'O Viṣṇu (vocative)', 'bhavān': 'you (honorific)', 'atra': 'here

• in this matter/context', 'parāyaṇam': 'supreme resort, final refuge, ultimate support'}

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• ब्रह्मा (Brahmā)
• नारायण (Nārāyaṇa)
• विष्णु (Viṣṇu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that true strength (bala) is ultimately grounded in the Supreme Lord’s support; when a situation concerns the maintenance of order and right action, the highest refuge (parāyaṇa) is Nārāyaṇa/Viṣṇu rather than mere personal capability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka reports that Brahmā, having heard the preceding matter, turns to Nārāyaṇa and requests him to provide strength to the concerned parties, acknowledging Viṣṇu as the decisive support in the unfolding events.