Shloka 13

नारद-देवमत-संवादः

Nārada–Devamata Dialogue on Prāṇa, Apāna, and Udāna

Devanagari script

एतद्‌ू रूपमुदानस्य परम॑ ब्राह्मणा विदु: । निर्दन्द्मिति यत्‌ त्वेतत्‌ तन्मे निगदत: शृणु,यज्ञवेत्ता पुरुष यह जानते हैं कि सत्त्गगुणसे समान और व्यानकी उत्पत्ति होती है। प्राण और अपान आज्यभाग नामक दो आहुतियोंके समान हैं। उनके मध्यभागमें अग्निकी स्थिति है। यही उदानका उत्कृष्ट रूप है, जिसे ब्राह्मणलोग जानते हैं। जो निर्द्धन्द्र कहा गया है, उसे भी बताता हूँ, तुम मेरे मुखसे सुनो

Transliteration

etad rūpam udānasya paramaṁ brāhmaṇā viduḥ | nirdvandvam iti yat tv etat tan me nigadataḥ śṛṇu ||

Translation

Nārada said: “This is the supreme form of Udāna, as the knowers among the Brāhmaṇas understand it. And as for what is called ‘free from the pairs of opposites’ (nirdvandva), listen as I explain it to you.”

Word by Word

एतत्this

रूपम्form

उदानस्यof udāna (vital breath)

परम्supreme, excellent

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

विदुःknow

निर्दन्द्मिति"(it is) 'nirdandm'" (as a quoted term)

यत्which/that

तुbut, indeed

एतत्this

तत्that

मेto me / of me

निगदतःof (me) speaking/declaring

शृणुhear, listen

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Udāna

Brāhmaṇas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Nārada points to an inner, yogic understanding of life-breath (udāna) and introduces the ideal of nirdvandva—steadiness beyond opposing experiences—presenting spiritual knowledge as an inward discipline known to the learned.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Ashvamedhika Parva’s instructional discourse, Nārada continues explaining subtle doctrine: he identifies a ‘supreme form’ of udāna recognized by sages and then transitions to explain what ‘freedom from dualities’ means, asking the listener to attend closely.