Shloka 14

अध्याय २५६ — श्रद्धा, अहिंसा, स्पर्धा-त्यागः

Tūlādhāra–Jājali: Faith, Non-harm, and Renunciation of Rivalry

Devanagari script

ततोअग्निमुपसंगृहर भगवॉल्लोकपूजित: । प्रवृत्ति च निवृत्ति च कल्पयामास वै प्रभु:,तब लोकपूजित भगवान्‌ ब्रह्माने उस अग्निका उपसंहार करके प्रजाके लिये जन्म और मृत्युकी व्यवस्था की

Transliteration

tato 'gnim upasaṅgṛhya bhagavān lokapūjitaḥ | pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca kalpayāmāsa vai prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Then the Blessed Lord, revered by the worlds, withdrew that fire and, as the sovereign ordainer, established for living beings the twofold order of life: engagement in worldly action and the path of withdrawal—thereby setting the framework within which birth and death proceed.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अग्निम्fire (Agni)

उपसंगृह्यhaving withdrawn/collected (having brought to an end)

भगवान्the Blessed Lord

लोकपूजितःworshipped by the world

प्रवृत्तिम्activity; worldly engagement (birth/coming forth)

चand

निवृत्तिम्cessation; withdrawal (death/return)

चand

कल्पयामासhe arranged/ordained

वैindeed

प्रभुःthe Lord, the master

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Bhagavān (the Lord)

Agni (fire)

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?

Dharma is presented as a twofold framework: pravṛtti (responsible engagement in action and social duty) and nivṛtti (withdrawal/renunciation aimed at liberation). Both are divinely instituted as legitimate paths, shaping ethical choice within the cycle of birth and death.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes a cosmic act: the Lord withdraws the previously manifested fire and then ordains the two orientations of life—engagement and renunciation—thereby establishing the conditions under which beings live, act, and undergo birth and death.