Shloka 2

Mātali’s Proposal for Guṇakeśī and Sumukha’s Audience with Indra

Devanagari script

एष शेष: स्थितो नागो येनेयं॑ धार्यते सदा । तपसा लोकमुख्येन प्रभावसहिता मही,ये शेषनाग स्थित हैं, जो अपने लोकप्रसिद्ध तपोबलसे प्रभावसहित इस सारी पृथ्वीको सदा सिरपर धारण करते हैं

Transliteration

eṣa śeṣaḥ sthito nāgo yeneyaṁ dhāryate sadā | tapasā lokamukhyena prabhāvasahitā mahī ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: „Dies ist Śeṣa, die große Schlange, die unbeweglich steht und unablässig diese Erde trägt. Durch seine höchste, weltberühmte Askese (tapas) wird die Erde in strahlender Kraft erhalten.“

Word by Word

एषःthis (he/this one)

शेषःŚeṣa (the serpent)

स्थितःstanding; stationed; remaining

नागःserpent

येनby whom; by which

इयम्this (f.)

धार्यतेis borne; is supported

सदाalways

तपसाby austerity; by penance

लोकमुख्येनby (his) world-renowned / foremost-in-the-world (austerity)

प्रभावसहिताendowed with power/splendour

महीthe earth

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Śeṣa

Nāga

Mahī (Earth)

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 highlights that the stability of the world rests on dharmic power—here symbolized by Śeṣa’s tapas (austerity). Ethical strength and disciplined restraint are portrayed as forces that uphold order and prevent collapse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada identifies the cosmic serpent Śeṣa and explains his role: he continually bears the earth, empowered by extraordinary, renowned austerity. The statement situates the listener within a larger cosmological frame where divine beings sustain creation.