Shloka 13

Nāga–Nāgabhāryā Saṃvāda: Varṇa-Dharma, Gṛhastha-Discipline, and Mokṣa-Self-Inquiry

Mahābhārata 12.347

Devanagari script

स्थापयित्वा तु धरणीं स्वे स्थाने पुरुषोत्तम: । जलकर्दमलिप्ताड़ो लोककार्यार्थमुद्यत:,वे पुरुषोत्तम पृथ्वीको अपने स्थानपर स्थापित करके जल और कीचड़से लिपटे अंगोंसे ही लोकहितका कार्य करनेके लिये उद्यत हुए

Transliteration

sthāpayitvā tu dharaṇīṃ sve sthāne puruṣottamaḥ | jalakardamaliptāṅgo lokakāryārtham udyataḥ ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: Nachdem der Höchste Mensch (Purushottama) die Erde wieder an ihren rechten Ort gesetzt hatte, machte er sich—obwohl seine Glieder noch von Wasser und Schlamm bedeckt waren—sogleich bereit, zum Wohl der Welten zu wirken.

Word by Word

स्थापयित्वाhaving established/placed

तुbut/indeed

धरणीम्the earth

स्वेin (his/its) own

स्थानेplace/position

पुरुषोत्तमःthe best of men (supreme person)

जलwater

कर्दमmud

लिप्तsmeared/covered

अङ्गःlimbed one; body/limbs (as possessed)

लोकworld/people

कार्यtask/work

अर्थम्for the sake/purpose

उद्यतःready/intent; having risen to act

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Puruṣottama (Supreme Person)

Dharaṇī (Earth)

Loka (the worlds/people)

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 teaches lokahita and lokasaṅgraha: true greatness is shown by restoring order and then immediately acting for the common good, without seeking personal ease or purity after difficult work.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes the Supreme Person who, after re-establishing the Earth in her proper place, remains physically smeared with water and mud from the task, yet promptly sets out to perform further work for the welfare of the worlds.