Shloka 12

Nārāyaṇasya Guhya-nāmāni Niruktāni (Etymologies of Nārāyaṇa’s Secret Epithets) / नारायणस्य गुह्यनामानि निरुक्तानि

Devanagari script

आनुृ्‌शंस्यं परो धर्म: क्षमा च परमं बलम्‌ | आत्मज्ञानं परं ज्ञानं न सत्याद्‌ विद्यते परम्‌

Transliteration

Ānṛśaṁsyaṁ paro dharmaḥ kṣamā ca paramaṁ balam | ātmajñānaṁ paraṁ jñānaṁ na satyād vidyate param ||

Translation

Nārada dit : «La compassion est le dharma le plus élevé, et le pardon est la plus grande force. La connaissance du Soi (Ātman) est la connaissance suprême, et rien ne surpasse la vérité.»

Word by Word

• आनृशंस्यम्: compassion, non-cruelty, kindness
• आनृशंस्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनृशंस्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• परः: supreme, highest
• परः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षमा: forbearance, forgiveness
• क्षमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• परमम्: supreme, greatest
• परमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: strength, power
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मज्ञानम्: knowledge of the self
• आत्मज्ञानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सत्यात्: from/than truth
• सत्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• विद्यते: exists, is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• परम्: higher, superior
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse ranks key virtues: compassion/non-cruelty as the highest dharma, forgiveness as the greatest strength, Self-knowledge as the highest knowledge, and truth as the unsurpassed foundation of all virtues.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Nārada delivers a concise ethical and spiritual summary, emphasizing inner virtues and truth as guiding principles for righteous living after the devastation of war.