Shloka 39

Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī

Devanagari script

तौ दृष्टवा नारदो हृष्टस्ताभ्यां च प्रतिपूजित: । स्वागतेनाभिभाष्याथ पृष्टश्नानामयं तथा

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

tau dṛṣṭvā nārado hṛṣṭas tābhyāṃ ca pratipūjitaḥ |

svāgatenābhibhāṣyātha pṛṣṭaśnānāmayaṃ tathā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : À la vue de ces deux êtres, Nārada fut saisi de joie, et ils l’honorèrent comme il se doit. Après l’avoir salué par des paroles de bienvenue, ils s’enquirent selon la juste manière de son état—s’il était exempt de fatigue et de maladie.

Word by Word

• {'tau': 'those two (persons)', 'dṛṣṭvā': 'having seen', 'nāradaḥ': 'Nārada (the divine sage)', 'hṛṣṭaḥ': 'delighted, joyful', 'tābhyām': 'by those two (instrumental dual)', 'pratipūjitaḥ': 'honored in return

• duly worshiped/received', 'svāgatena': 'with welcome

• by words/acts of greeting', 'abhibhāṣya': 'having addressed, having spoken to', 'atha': 'then', 'pṛṣṭa': 'asked, inquired', 'aśnāna': 'non-bathing

• lack of ablution (a sign of travel-fatigue/neglect due to exertion)', 'āmaya': 'illness, affliction', 'tathā': 'likewise

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārada
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct through hospitality: honoring a guest—especially a sage—and asking after their health and fatigue is a concrete expression of righteousness (ācāra) and mutual respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada arrives and beholds the two exalted figures (Nara and Nārāyaṇa). He becomes joyful, and they receive him with honor, greet him warmly, and inquire about his well-being—whether he is tired or unwell.