Shloka 33

Devanagari script

अयं पुराण: श्लोको हि स्वयं गीतो विभावसो । धात्रा लोकेश्वर यथा कीर्तिरायुर्नरस्य ह,विभावसो! लोकेश्वर! साक्षात्‌ ब्रह्माजीके द्वारा गाया हुआ यह प्राचीन श्लोक है कि कीर्ति मनुष्यकी आयु है

Transliteration

ayaṁ purāṇaḥ śloko hi svayaṁ gīto vibhāvaso | dhātrā lokeśvara yathā kīrtir āyur narasya ha ||

Translation

„O Vibhāvasu, o Herr der Welt! Dies ist ein uralter Vers, der sich gleichsam selbst als zeitlose Wahrheit besingt. Der Schöpfer hat ihn gesungen: Wie man die Lebensspanne eines Menschen in Jahren misst, so ist sein wahres ‚Leben‘ in der Welt sein Ruhm — sein bleibender Ruf.“

Word by Word

अयम्this

पुराणःancient

श्लोकःverse

हिindeed

स्वयम्by oneself; personally

गीतःsung; recited

विभावसोO Vibhāvasu (Agni)

धात्राby the Creator (Dhātṛ/Brahmā)

लोकेश्वरO lord of the world

यथाas; just as (that)

कीर्तिःfame; renown

आयुःlife-span; life

नरस्यof a man

हindeed; surely (emphatic particle)

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

Agni (Vibhāvasu)

Brahma (Dhatr)

Lokesvara (Lord of the world)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that a person’s enduring ‘life’ in society is not merely biological longevity but kīrti—earned reputation through righteous conduct and memorable deeds. Ethical action creates a legacy that outlasts the body.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna cites an old, authoritative saying—attributed to the Creator (Dhātṛ/Brahmā)—addressing Vibhāvasu (Agni) and invoking the ‘Lord of the world,’ to underscore the value of fame and lasting honor as a motivating principle in human action.