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Shloka 14

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

शयानममितात्मानं पद्मोत्पलनिकेतनम्‌ | त्वमेक: सर्वभूतेशं ब्रह्माणमुपतिष्ठसि

vaiśampāyana uvāca | śayānam amitātmānaṃ padmotpalaniketanam | tvam ekaḥ sarvabhūteśaṃ brahmāṇam upatiṣṭhasi ||

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «En el tiempo de la gran disolución—cuando ya no permanecen el sol, el fuego, el viento, la luna, el cielo ni siquiera la tierra, y el mundo entero, móvil e inmóvil, se hunde en el único océano cósmico y desaparece; cuando perecen dioses y asuras y aun las poderosas serpientes son destruidas—entonces, mientras el Señor de todos los seres, Brahmā de espíritu inconmensurable, yace reposando en su morada de loto y nenúfar, sólo tú permaneces junto a él, en pie, asistiendo y adorando.»

शयानम्lying, reclining
शयानम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशय (धातु) → शयान (कृदन्त)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अमितात्मानम्him whose self is immeasurable (the infinite-souled one)
अमितात्मानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअमितात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
पद्मोत्पलनिकेतनम्one whose abode is (among) lotuses and water-lilies
पद्मोत्पलनिकेतनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपद्म + उत्पल + निकेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
Form—, Nominative, Singular
एकःalone, single
एकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सर्वभूतेशम्the lord of all beings
सर्वभूतेशम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वभूतेश (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
ब्रह्माणम्Brahmā
ब्रह्माणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उपतिष्ठसिyou attend upon / worship / serve
उपतिष्ठसि:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-स्था (धातु)
FormPresent, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
B
Brahmā
S
sun (sūrya)
F
fire (agni)
W
wind (vāyu)
M
moon (candra)
S
sky/space (antarikṣa)
E
earth (pṛthivī)
C
cosmic ocean (ekārṇava)
D
devas
A
asuras
N
nāgas
L
lotus (padma)
W
waterlily (utpala)

Educational Q&A

Even when all cosmic supports dissolve, steadfast devotion and service to the supreme principle (here expressed as attendance upon Brahmā, the Lord of beings) remains meaningful; it highlights impermanence of the world and the enduring value of worshipful duty.

The speaker describes the scene of mahāpralaya: the universe collapses into the primeval ocean, gods, asuras, and nāgas are destroyed, and in that desolation only ‘you’ remain, attending upon the reclining Brahmā in a lotus/waterlily abode.