Shloka 173

अश्वशिरो-आख्यानम्

Aśvaśiras / Hayaśiras Narrative: Retrieval of the Vedas

Devanagari script

नरनारायणाभ्यां च कृष्णेन हरिणा तथा । 'पहले ये एक ही रूपमें विद्यमान थे; फिर धर्मकी वंश-परम्पराका विस्तार करनेके लिये ये चार विग्रहोंमें प्रकट हुए। इन चारोंने अपने उपार्जित धर्मसे धर्मदेवकी वंश- परम्पराको बढ़ाया है। अहो! इस समय नर

Transliteration

naranārāyaṇābhyāṃ ca kṛṣṇena hariṇā tathā | pūrvaṃ hy ete eka eva rūpe vidyamānā āsan; tataḥ dharmavaṃśa-paramparā-vistārārthaṃ caturṣu vigraheṣu prādurabhavan | ebhiś caturbhiḥ svopārjita-dharmeṇa dharmadevasya vaṃśa-paramparā vardhitā | aho! asmin kāle nara-nārāyaṇa-kṛṣṇa-hari-nāmānaś catvāro devā dharme mahad anugrahaṃ kṛtavantaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Nara and Nārāyaṇa, and likewise Kṛṣṇa and Hari—these were formerly present as a single form. Then, in order to expand the lineage and succession of Dharma, they manifested in four distinct embodiments. By the Dharma each of these four cultivated and upheld, the hereditary succession of the Lord of Dharma was increased. Indeed, at this time these four deities—Nara, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, and Hari—have shown great favor to Dharma.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'nara', 'definition': 'Nara

• a divine sage/embodiment, often paired with Nārāyaṇa'}, {'term': 'nārāyaṇa', 'definition': 'Nārāyaṇa

• the supreme divine being, often identified with Viṣṇu'}, {'term': 'kṛṣṇa', 'definition': 'Kṛṣṇa

• divine incarnation/hero, associated with upholding Dharma'}, {'term': 'hari', 'definition': 'Hari

• epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa, ‘the remover (of sin/sorrow)’'}, {'term': 'eka-rūpa', 'definition': 'one form

• a single unified manifestation'}, {'term': 'catur-vigraha', 'definition': 'four embodiments/forms'}, {'term': 'prādurabhū', 'definition': 'to manifest, appear, become evident'}, {'term': 'dharma', 'definition': 'righteous order, duty, moral law

• also personified as a deity'}, {'term': 'dharmadeva', 'definition': 'the god of Dharma (Dharmarāja/Yama in many contexts)'}, {'term': 'vaṃśa-paramparā', 'definition': 'dynastic/lineage succession

• hereditary continuity'}, {'term': 'anugraha', 'definition': 'favor, grace, benevolence'}]

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa
• Kṛṣṇa
• Hari
• Dharma
• Dharmadeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is upheld and expanded through divine agency: a single divine principle can manifest in multiple forms to protect, cultivate, and extend righteous order and its continuity in the world.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma praises Nara, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, and Hari, stating they were originally one essence but appeared as four embodiments to broaden the succession of Dharma, thereby strengthening the world’s moral order.