Shloka 2

आस्तीक-उपाख्यान-प्रस्तावः | Introduction to the Āstīka Narrative

Devanagari script

निखिलेन यथातत्त्वं सौते सर्वमशेषत: । आस्तीकक्ष द्विजश्रेष्ठ: किमर्थ जपतां वर:

Transliteration

nikhilena yathātattvaṃ saute sarvamaśeṣataḥ | āstīkakṣa dvijaśreṣṭhaḥ kimarthaṃ japatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Śaunaka sprach: „O Sauti, berichte uns vollständig—der Wahrheit gemäß, ohne irgendetwas auszulassen—warum Āstīka, der Vorzüglichste unter den Brahmanen, der Beste unter den der heiligen Rezitation Ergebenen, bekannt wurde und Lob empfing.“

Word by Word

निखिलेनcompletely, wholly

यथाas, according to

तत्त्वम्the truth, the real state

सौतेO Sūta (charioteer-bard)

सर्वम्everything

अशेषतःwithout remainder, entirely

आस्तीकःĀstīka (proper name)

द्विजश्रेष्ठःthe best of the twice-born (Brahmins)

किमर्थम्for what purpose? why?

जपताम्of those who are reciting/muttering (prayers)

वरःthe excellent one, the best

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

श

शौनक (Śaunaka)

स

सौति / उग्रश्रवस् (Sauti / Ugraśravas)

आ

आस्तीक (Āstīka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models a disciplined approach to sacred history: seek a complete account (nikhilena, aśeṣataḥ) and insist on truth as it is (yathātattvam). It also highlights esteem for Vedic recitation and Brahminical excellence, implying that spiritual authority should be grounded in learning, restraint, and truthful narration.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Naimiṣāraṇya setting, Śaunaka questions Sauti and requests a full, accurate explanation about Āstīka—why he is regarded as the foremost among Brahmins and among those devoted to mantra-recitation—thereby prompting the continuation of Āstīka’s account within the larger frame-story.