Shloka 11

Kāmyake Pāṇḍavānāṃ Bhojana-vyavasthā

Provisioning and Welfare in the Kāmyaka Forest

Devanagari script

विख्यातौ त्रिषु लोकेषु नरनारायणावृषी । कार्यार्थमवतीर्णो तौ पृथ्वीं पुण्यप्रतिश्रयाम्‌,'तीनों लोकोंमें विख्यात नर-नारायण ऋषि ही देवताओंका कार्य सिद्ध करनेके लिये पुण्यके आधाररूप भूतलपर अवतीर्ण हुए हैं

Transliteration

vikhyātau triṣu lokeṣu nara-nārāyaṇāv ṛṣī | kāryārtham avatīrṇau tau pṛthvīṁ puṇya-pratiśrayām ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Renowned throughout the three worlds, the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa have descended upon the earth—this very ground that serves as a refuge and foundation for merit—in order to accomplish the gods’ purpose.”

Word by Word

विख्यातौrenowned, famous

त्रिषुin three

लोकेषुin the worlds

नरनारायणौNara and Nārāyaṇa

ऋषीthe two sages

कार्य-अर्थम्for the purpose of (divine) work

अवतीर्णौdescended, incarnated

तौthose two

पृथ्वीम्to the earth

पुण्य-प्रतिश्रयाम्having merit as its refuge/abode; the seat of merit

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nara

Nārāyaṇa

the three worlds (trailokya)

earth (Pṛthvī)

the gods (implicit: devāḥ)

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 frames earthly life and sacred history as guided by dharma: exalted beings may take birth on earth to restore or support cosmic order, and the earth is portrayed as a field where merit (puṇya) can be established and protected through right action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana identifies Nara and Nārāyaṇa—celebrated across the three worlds—as having descended to earth specifically to fulfill a divine objective, indicating that their presence is purposeful and tied to the gods’ larger plan.