Shloka 4
कृताधिवासो धर्मात्मा तत्र चक्षु:श्रवा महान् । पद्मनाभो महानाग: पद्म इत्येव विश्रुत:,वहाँ एक महान् धर्मात्मा सर्प निवास करता है। उस महानागका नाम तो है पद्मनाभ; परंतु पद्म नामसे ही उसकी प्रसिद्धि है
kṛtādhivāso dharmātmā tatra cakṣuḥśravā mahān | padmanābho mahānāgaḥ padma ityeva viśrutaḥ ||
The brāhmaṇa said: “There dwelt a great, righteous serpent who had already established his abode there. He was a mighty nāga, known by the name Padmanābha, yet he was widely famed simply as ‘Padma.’”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma even in unexpected beings: a nāga is described as dharmātmā, suggesting that moral stature is defined by conduct and inner disposition rather than by species or social category. It also hints at the ethical weight of reputation—how a being becomes known in the world by a name that reflects public memory.
A Brahmin narrator introduces a prominent serpent who resides in a particular place. He identifies the nāga by his formal name, Padmanābha, and notes that he is popularly renowned as Padma, setting up the character for the ensuing episode.