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

Nārada dit : «Ô Keśava ! Je rends hommage à ceux chez qui l’attachement possessif s’est éteint : affranchis des couples d’opposés, élevés au-delà de la honte, et sans dessein égoïste nulle part. Fortifiés par la connaissance des Vedas, ils deviennent inattaquables ; habiles à enseigner, ils parlent de Brahman. Dévoués à la non-violence, ils ont pris pour la vie le vœu de vérité, et demeurent engagés dans les disciplines de la maîtrise des sens et du gouvernement de l’esprit. Et, ô Yādava, j’incline aussi la tête devant ces chefs de maison qui, vivant toujours selon ‘la voie du pigeon’—satisfaits de peu—se consacrent au culte des dieux et à l’honneur rendu aux hôtes.»

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.