Shloka 66

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

देवं परमकं ब्रद्दा श्वेतं चन्द्रा भभच्युतम्‌ । यत्र चैकान्तिनो यान्ति नारायणपरायणा:,राजन! उनसे भी प्राचीनकालमें महातपस्वी नारदजीने इसका प्रतिपादन किया था। नारायणकी आराधनामें लगे हुए अनन्य भक्त चन्द्रमाके समान गौरवर्णवाले उन्हीं परब्रह्मस्वरूप भगवान्‌ अच्युतको प्राप्त होते हैं

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | devaṁ paramakaṁ brahmā śvetaṁ candrābhaṁ acyutam | yatra caikāntino yānti nārāyaṇaparāyaṇāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Those single-minded devotees who are wholly devoted to Nārāyaṇa attain that supreme, stainless Lord Acyuta—radiant and white like the moon—who is the highest Brahman. The passage underscores that unwavering devotion and exclusive refuge in the Divine leads beyond worldly aims to the ultimate, transcendent goal.

Word by Word

देवम्the god

परमकम्supreme (one)

ब्रह्मBrahman

श्वेतम्white, bright

चन्द्राभम्moon-like

अच्युतम्Achyuta (the infallible Lord)

यत्रwhere

चand

एकान्तिनःexclusive devotees

यान्तिgo, attain

नारायणपरायणाःdevoted solely to Nārāyaṇa

राजन्O king

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Acyuta

Nārāyaṇa

Brahman

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Exclusive, unwavering devotion (ekāntitā) to Nārāyaṇa leads the devotee to attain the supreme Lord—identified with the highest Brahman—emphasizing spiritual single-mindedness as a direct path to liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, continuing the Śānti Parva discourse, describes the destiny of Nārāyaṇa-devoted ascetics: they ‘go to’ (attain) Acyuta, portrayed as supremely pure and moon-bright, framing devotion as the culminating spiritual attainment.