Shloka 40

अध्याय ३५१ — उञ्छवृत्ति-व्रतसिद्धेः मानुषस्य परमगतिः

Sūrya–Nāga Dialogue on the Perfected Gleaner-Ascetic

Devanagari script

भूतभव्यभविष्यज्ञ: सत्यवादी दृढव्रत: । तमुवाच नत मूर्ध्ना देवानामादिरव्यय:,“वे अपान्तरतमा भूत, वर्तमान और भविष्यके ज्ञाता, सत्यवादी तथा दृढ़तापूर्वक व्रतका पालन करनेवाले थे। मस्तक झुकाकर खड़े हुए उस पुत्रसे देवताओंके आदिकारण अविनाशी श्रीहरिने कहा--

Transliteration

bhūtabhavyabhaviṣyajñaḥ satyavādī dṛḍhavrataḥ | tam uvāca nata-mūrdhnā devānām ādir avyayaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: He was a knower of the past, the future that has become present, and what is yet to come; a speaker of truth and steadfast in his vows. Then the imperishable Lord Hari, the primal source of the gods, addressed that son who stood with his head bowed in reverence.

Word by Word

भूतभव्यभविष्यज्ञःknower of past, present, and future

सत्यवादीtruth-speaking

दृढव्रतःfirm in vows

तम्him

उवाचsaid/spoke

नतमूर्ध्नाwith bowed head

देवानाम्of the gods

आदिःthe origin/first cause

अव्ययःimperishable

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Hari (Viṣṇu)

the gods (devas)

the son (putra; contextually Apāntaratamas)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates ethical integrity—truthfulness (satya) and steadfast commitment to vows (vrata)—as marks of spiritual authority, and frames genuine knowledge as spanning time (past, unfolding present, and future), culminating in reverent receptivity to divine instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a venerable figure (identified in context as Apāntaratamas) as omniscient across time and unwavering in truth and vows. Standing with bowed head, he is then addressed by the imperishable Lord Hari, presented as the primal source of the gods.