Shloka 11

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

एतदर्थ महाराज पृष्ट: पार्थेन नारद: । ऋषिमध्ये महाभाग: शृण्वतो: कृष्णभीष्मयो:

Transliteration

etad-artha mahārāja pṛṣṭaḥ pārthena nāradaḥ | ṛṣi-madhye mahā-bhāgaḥ śṛṇvatoḥ kṛṣṇa-bhīṣmayoḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô roi, c’est précisément sur ce point que l’illustre Nārada fut interrogé par Pārtha au milieu des sages, tandis que Kṛṣṇa et Bhīṣma écoutaient.»

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अर्थम्: meaning/purpose/matter
• अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पृष्टः: was asked
• पृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थेन: by Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषि-मध्ये: in the midst of sages
• ऋषि-मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• महाभागः: the illustrious one
• महाभागः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शृण्वतोः: of the two who were listening
• शृण्वतोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• कृष्ण-भीष्मयोः: of Krishna and Bhishma
• कृष्ण-भीष्मयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārada
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Bhīṣma
• Ṛṣis (sages)
• Mahārāja (the king addressed, i.e., Janamejaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the authority and careful transmission of dharmic knowledge: a question is posed to a revered sage (Nārada) in a formal assembly, and the presence of eminent witnesses (Kṛṣṇa and Bhīṣma) underscores the seriousness and ethical weight of the inquiry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana frames a remembered episode: Arjuna (Pārtha) asks Nārada about the same topic being discussed, in a gathering of sages, while Kṛṣṇa and Bhīṣma listen—signaling that what follows is a respected, multi-witnessed teaching.