Shloka 1

Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank

Devanagari script

अपन क्राता छा आर: सप्तचत्वारिशर्दाधिकत्रिशततमो< ध्याय: हयग्रीव-अवतारकी कथा

Transliteration

śaunaka uvāca | śrutaṃ bhagavatas tasya māhātmyaṃ paramātmanaḥ | janma dharmagṛhe caiva nara-nārāyaṇātmakam ||

Translation

Śaunaka sprach: „O Sohn des Sūta, wir haben von der höchsten Größe jenes erhabenen Herrn, des höchsten Selbst, gehört; und wir haben auch verstanden, dass Er im Hause des Dharma geboren wurde und sich in der Gestalt von Nara und Nārāyaṇa offenbarte.“

Word by Word

• जनमेजयः: Janamejaya
• जनमेजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहो: indeed/ah!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो

• एकान्तिनः: single-minded devotees
• एकान्तिनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकान्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रीणाति: pleases/satisfies
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विधि-प्रयुक्ताम्: enjoined/ordained by rule
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधिप्रयुक्त
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• गृह्णाति: accepts
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Bhagavān (the Lord)
• Paramātman
• Dharma
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Nārāyaṇa’s supremacy (as Paramātman) together with His accessible manifestation: the Highest Self can be known through sacred hearing and is also present in the world as Nara–Nārāyaṇa, embodying dharma and spiritual discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka, speaking in the frame-dialogue, summarizes what has been heard: the Lord’s glory and the account that He appeared in Dharma’s house as Nara and Nārāyaṇa, setting up further narration of Nārāyaṇa’s deeds and praise.