Shloka 23

अश्वशिरो-आख्यानम्

Aśvaśiras / Hayaśiras Narrative: Retrieval of the Vedas

Devanagari script

तद्‌ दृष्टवा महदाश्चर्यमपूर्व विधिविस्तरम्‌ । उपोपविष्ट: सुप्रीतो नारदो भगवानृषि:

Transliteration

tad dṛṣṭvā mahad āścaryam apūrva-vidhi-vistaram | upopaviṣṭaḥ suprīto nārado bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Seeing that great wonder—an unprecedented and detailed observance of scriptural procedure—Devarshi Narada, the blessed sage who was seated close by, became exceedingly pleased.”

Word by Word

• तत्: that (thing/event)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा, Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for absolutive)

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder, marvel
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अपूर्वम्: unprecedented, novel
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपूर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विधि-विस्तरम्: detailed exposition of (scriptural) procedure/rule
• विधि-विस्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधिविस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपोपविष्टः: seated near (them)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-उपविष्ट
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुप्रीतः: very pleased
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्रीत
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: venerable, divine
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषिः: sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Narada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Meticulous and sincere adherence to śāstric injunctions (vidhi), carried out in full detail and propriety, is itself a form of dharma that earns the approval of the wise and reinforces ethical order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes Narada witnessing an extraordinary and unprecedented display of proper scriptural procedure; Narada, seated nearby, becomes highly pleased at what he sees.