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Shloka 29

Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank

ततो विग्रहवन्तौ तौ वेदान्‌ दृष्ट्वासुरोत्तमौ । सहसा जगृहतुर्वेदान्‌ ब्रह्मण: पश्यतस्तदा,उन विशालकाय श्रेष्ठ असुरोंने उस समय वेदोंपर दृष्टि पड़ते ही उन्हें ब्रह्माजीके देखते- देखते सहसा हर लिया

tato vigrahavantau tau vedān dṛṣṭvāsurottamau | sahasā jagṛhatur vedān brahmaṇaḥ paśyatas tadā ||

Then those two mighty, embodied lords among the Asuras, the moment their eyes fell upon the Vedas, suddenly seized them—snatching the sacred knowledge away even as Brahmā looked on. The episode underscores how the theft or misuse of revealed wisdom becomes an ethical rupture, demanding its recovery and rightful guardianship for the order of dharma.

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
विग्रहवन्तौhaving bodies; embodied
विग्रहवन्तौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविग्रहवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
वेदान्the Vedas
वेदान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवेद
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
असुरोत्तमौthe best of Asuras
असुरोत्तमौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअसुरोत्तम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
सहसाsuddenly, at once
सहसा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहसा
जगृहतुःthey seized, they took away
जगृहतुः:
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada
वेदान्the Vedas
वेदान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवेद
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
ब्रह्मणःof Brahmā
ब्रह्मणः:
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
पश्यतःwhile (he was) seeing; of (him) seeing
पश्यतः:
TypeVerb
Rootपश्यत्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
तदाthen, at that time
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा

वैशग्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśaṃpāyana
A
Asuras (two chiefs)
V
Vedas
B
Brahmā

Educational Q&A

Sacred knowledge (the Vedas) is not merely information but a foundation of dharma; when it is stolen, hidden, or wielded for selfish power, cosmic and social order are harmed. The implied ethical demand is vigilant guardianship, rightful transmission, and restoration of knowledge to its proper, dharmic use.

Two powerful Asuras notice the Vedas and abruptly seize them, doing so even in Brahmā’s presence. The verse sets up a crisis of lost or endangered revelation, typically leading to efforts by divine or righteous agents to recover and re-establish the Vedas for the welfare of the worlds.