Shloka 15

Atithi’s Direction to the Nāga-sage Padma at Naimiṣa (अतिथ्युपदेशः—नैमिषे पद्मनागोपाख्यानप्रस्तावः)

Devanagari script

एवमप्यग्निभूता ब्राह्मणा दिद्वांसोडग्निं भावयन्ति । अन्निर्विष्णु: सर्वभूतान्यनुप्रविश्य प्राणान्‌ धारयति,इस प्रकार ब्राह्मण अग्निस्वरूप हैं। विद्वान्‌ ब्राह्मण अग्निकी आराधना करते हैं। अग्निदेव विष्णु हैं। वे समस्त प्राणियोंके भीतर प्रवेश करके उनके प्राणोंको धारण करते हैं

Transliteration

evam apy agnibhūtā brāhmaṇā didvāṁso 'gnim bhāvayanti | agnir viṣṇuḥ sarvabhūtāny anupraviśya prāṇān dhārayati |

Translation

Arjuna said: “Even so, Brahmins are of the nature of fire; therefore the learned Brahmins cultivate and honor the sacred fire. Fire is indeed Viṣṇu: entering into all beings, he upholds their vital breaths.”

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

अपिalso, even

अग्नि-भूताःhaving become fire; fire-formed

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmanas

विद्वांसःthe learned (ones)

अग्निम्fire; Agni

भावयन्तिthey worship/propitiate; they cause to flourish

अग्निःAgni (fire-god)

विष्णुःVishnu

सर्व-भूतानिall beings

अनु-प्रविश्यhaving entered (after entering)

प्राणान्vital breaths; lives

धारयतिhe sustains, supports

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Brāhmaṇas

Agni

Viṣṇu

Prāṇa (vital breaths)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes