Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

हरे: स्तोत्रार्थमुद्धूता बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतां वर । ततो जगीौ परं जप्यं साञ्जलिप्रग्रह: प्रभु:

Transliteration

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | hareḥ stotrārtham uddhūtā buddhir buddhimatāṃ vara | tato jagau paraṃ japyaṃ sāñjalipragrahaḥ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: O Bester unter den Weisen! In Brahmās Geist erhob sich der Entschluss, Hari zu preisen. Da begann jener mächtige Herr, die Hände in ehrfürchtiger Anjali gefaltet, einen höchsten Hymnus anzustimmen—würdig, als japa wiederholt zu werden—und zeigte so, dass Hingabe und Demut die rechte Antwort sind, selbst für die höchsten Wesen, wenn sie sich dem Göttlichen zuwenden.

Word by Word

• {'hareḥ': 'of Hari (Viṣṇu), the Lord', 'stotrārtham': 'for the purpose of a hymn of praise', 'uddhūtā': 'arisen, stirred up, awakened', 'buddhiḥ': 'intention, understanding, resolve', 'buddhimatām vara': 'O best among the intelligent/wise (vocative address)', 'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'jagau': 'sang, chanted', 'param': 'supreme, highest', 'japyam': 'fit to be repeated as japa

• to be recited', 'sāñjali': 'with joined palms (añjali gesture)', 'pragrahaḥ': 'holding/maintaining (the posture)

• here: maintaining folded hands', 'prabhuḥ': 'the lord, the powerful one (here: Brahmā)'}

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the highest cosmic authority (Brahmā) approaches the Supreme (Hari) through humility and devotional praise; stotra and japa are presented as elevating, disciplined modes of turning the mind toward dharmic reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator states that Brahmā’s intention to praise Hari arises; Brahmā then folds his hands and begins chanting a supreme, japa-worthy hymn.