Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

दृष्टवा हि विबुधश्रेष्ठमपूर्वममितौजसम्‌ । तदश्वशिरसं पुण्यं ब्रह्मा किमकरोन्मुने,मुने! अमित बलशाली एवं अपूर्वरूपधारी उन पुण्यात्मा सुरश्रेष्ठ हयग्रीवका दर्शन करके ब्रह्माजीने क्या किया?

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā hi vibudhaśreṣṭham apūrvam amitaujasam | tad aśvaśirasaṃ puṇyaṃ brahmā kim akarod mune ||

Translation

Śaunaka asked: “O sage, after beholding that supremely divine being—unprecedented in form and of immeasurable splendor—namely the holy one with a horse’s head (Hayagrīva), what did Brahmā do?”

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• विबुधश्रेष्ठम्: the best of the gods
• विबुधश्रेष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विबुधश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपूर्वम्: unprecedented/unique
• अपूर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपूर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमितौजसम्: of immeasurable might
• अमितौजसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमितौजस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अश्वशिरसम्: the horse-headed one
• अश्वशिरसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वशिरस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुण्यम्: holy/auspicious
• पुण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (ब्रह्मा)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकरोत्: did/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मुने: O sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मुने: O sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Brahmā
• Hayagrīva (aśvaśiras)
• Muni (the addressed sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic attitude of reverent inquiry: when confronted with extraordinary divine manifestation and power, one should seek to understand the proper response and its ethical-cosmic significance rather than react impulsively.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka asks the sage to continue the account: after Brahmā sees the holy, immensely powerful, unprecedented horse-headed divine being (Hayagrīva), what action does Brahmā take next?