Shloka 20

Brāhmaṇa-pūjā, Haviḥ-dāna, and the Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī Saṃvāda

Chapter 34

Devanagari script

केशव! जिनके मनमें ममता नहीं है

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | keśava! yeṣāṁ manasi mamatā nāsti, ye pratidhvandvair rahitāḥ, lajjām atikrāntāḥ, kvacid api nirprayojanāḥ; vedajñānabalena durdharṣāḥ, pravacanakuśalāḥ, brahmavādinaḥ; ahiṁsāyāṁ tatparāḥ satya-vratāś ca sadā, indriyasaṁyama-mano-nigraha-sādhaneṣu saṁlagnāḥ—tān ahaṁ namasyāmi || devatātithipūjāyāṁ yuktā ye gṛhamedhinaḥ | kapotavṛttayo nityaṁ tān namasyāmi yādava ||

Translation

Dijo Nārada: «¡Oh Keśava! Me postro ante aquellos en quienes ha muerto el apego posesivo: libres de los pares de opuestos, elevados por encima de la vergüenza, y sin propósito egoísta en parte alguna. Fortalecidos por el conocimiento de los Vedas, se vuelven inconquistables; diestros en la enseñanza, hablan de Brahman. Consagrados a la no violencia, han asumido el voto de verdad para toda la vida, y permanecen dedicados a las disciplinas del dominio de los sentidos y del gobierno de la mente. Y, ¡oh Yādava!, también inclino mi cabeza ante esos jefes de hogar que, viviendo siempre según ‘la senda de la paloma’—contentos con poco—se entregan al culto de los dioses y al honor debido a los huéspedes.»

Word by Word

• देवता: deity (as object of worship)
• देवता: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिथि: guest
• अतिथि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पूजायाम्: in worship
• पूजायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• युक्ताः: engaged, devoted
• युक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गृहमेधिनः: householders
• गृहमेधिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहमेधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कपोतवृत्तयः: those whose livelihood is like a pigeon’s (simple subsistence)
• कपोतवृत्तयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोतवृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य
• Form: true

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नमस्यामि: I bow to / I salute
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् (नम्)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यादव: O Yādava
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Yādava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Vedas
• Brahman
• Devatā (gods)
• Atithi (guest)
• Gṛhamedhins (householder Brahmins)
• Kapota (pigeon) as an ethical exemplar

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Nārada honors two complementary ideals of dharma: (1) the renunciate-like sage who is free from possessiveness, steady amid opposites, devoted to ahiṁsā and satya, and disciplined in mind and senses; and (2) the exemplary householder who lives simply (kapota-vṛtti) while faithfully worshiping the gods and serving guests. The teaching is that spiritual excellence is measured by inner detachment and ethical restraint, whether in ascetic life or in household life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Nārada addresses Kṛṣṇa (Keśava/Yādava) and offers reverential salutations to virtuous Brahmins—first describing the qualities of spiritually formidable teachers of Brahman, then praising householders devoted to ritual duty and hospitality. The passage functions as a moral commendation of ideal conduct across āśramas.