Shloka 38

Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī

Devanagari script

आततपत्रेण सदृशे शिरसी देवयोस्तयो: । एवं लक्षणसम्पन्नौ महापुरुषसंज्ञिती,उन दोनों देवताओंके मस्तक छत्रके समान प्रतीत होते थे। ऐसे शुभलक्षणोंसे सम्पन्न उन दोनों महापुरुषोंका दर्शन करके नारदजीको बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई। भगवान्‌ नर और नारायणने भी नारदजीका स्वागत-सत्कार करके उनका कुशल-समाचार पूछा

Transliteration

ātapatreṇa sadṛśe śirasī devayos tayoḥ | evaṃ lakṣaṇasampannau mahāpuruṣasaṃjñitī |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Die Häupter jener beiden göttlichen Wesen erschienen wie Sonnenschirme, Sinnbilder königlicher Glückverheißung. Als Nārada diese beiden großen Männer sah, vollendet in solchen günstigen Zeichen, wurde er von Freude erfüllt; und Nara und Nārāyaṇa empfingen ihn ihrerseits mit gebührender Ehre und erkundigten sich nach seinem Wohlergehen.

Word by Word

• {'ātapatra': 'parasol

• symbol of eminence and auspicious sovereignty', 'ātapatreṇa': 'with/like a parasol (instrumental singular)', 'sadṛśa': 'similar, resembling', 'śiras': 'head', 'śirasī': 'two heads (dual)', 'deva': 'god

• divine being', 'devayoḥ': 'of the two gods (genitive dual)', 'tayoḥ': 'of those two (genitive dual)', 'evaṃ': 'thus

• in this manner', 'lakṣaṇa': 'mark, sign

• auspicious characteristic', 'sampanna': 'endowed with

• possessed of', 'lakṣaṇasampannau': 'endowed with auspicious marks (dual)', 'mahāpuruṣa': 'great person

• exalted being (often with connotations of ideal marks)', 'saṃjñitin': 'so-called

• designated as', 'mahāpuruṣasaṃjñitī': 'designated as ‘great persons’ (dual)', 'Vaiśampāyana': 'the narrator speaking to Janamejaya'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārada
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa
• ātapatra (royal parasol)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic recognition and conduct: true greatness is signaled by auspicious qualities and is expressed through proper hospitality—honoring a guest (especially a sage) and inquiring after their welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Nara and Nārāyaṇa as visibly divine and auspicious (their heads likened to royal parasols). Nārada becomes delighted upon seeing them, and they respectfully welcome him and ask about his well-being.