Shloka 2
Pitāmaha-sabhā-varṇana & Hariścandra-māhātmya
Description of Brahmā’s Assembly and the Eminence of Hariścandra
पुरा देवयुगे राजन्नादित्यो भगवान् दिव: । आगच्छन्मानुषं लोकं दिदृक्षुबिंगतक्लम:,राजन्! पहले सत्ययुगकी बात है, भगवान् सूर्य ब्रह्माजीकी सभा देखकर फिर मनुष्यलोकको देखनेके लिये बिना परिश्रमके ही द्युलोकसे उतरकर इस लोकमें आये और मनुष्यरूपसे इधर-उधर विचरने लगे। पाण्डुनन्दन! सूर्यदेवने मुझसे उस ब्राह्मी सभाका यथार्थत: वर्णन किया
purā devayuge rājann ādityo bhagavān divaḥ | āgacchan mānuṣaṁ lokaṁ didṛkṣur vigataklamaḥ ||
Nārada sprach: „In einem früheren göttlichen Zeitalter, o König, stieg der erhabene Āditya (die Sonne) ohne Ermüdung aus der Himmelswelt in die Menschenwelt herab, begierig, sie zu schauen. Er wandelte hier in menschlicher Gestalt umher und berichtete mir wahrheitsgetreu von der Versammlung Brahmās.“
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral lens: divine beings can witness human conduct, implying that human actions are measured against a broader cosmic order (dharma). The Sun’s effortless descent also highlights the contrast between divine capacity and human limitation, encouraging humility and accountability in worldly life.
Nārada begins a past account: in an ancient divine era, the Sun-god Āditya descends from heaven to the human realm, wishing to observe it, and wanders about in human form. This introduction prepares for a subsequent description of higher assemblies and what was learned there.