Shloka 796
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
वद सर्व यथादृष्ट॑ प्रवृत्ति च यथाक्रमम् । जनमेजयने पूछा--मुने! वैकारिक पुरुष भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमको कैसे प्राप्त कर सकता है? यह सब आप अपने अनुभवके अनुसार बताइये और उसकी प्रवृत्तिका भी क्रमशः वर्णन कीजिये
vad sarva yathādṛṣṭaṁ pravṛttiṁ ca yathākramam | janamejayena pṛṣṭaḥ—mune! vaikārikaḥ puruṣaḥ bhagavān puruṣottamaṁ kathaṁ prāptuṁ śaknoti? etat sarvaṁ bhavān svānubhava-anusāreṇa vada, tasya pravṛtteś ca kramam api yathāvat varṇaya ||
Janamejaya dit : «Dis-moi tout selon ce que tu as vu, et décris le chemin de la pratique dans son ordre juste. Ô sage, comment un homme soumis au changement et aux modifications du monde peut-il atteindre le Bienheureux Puruṣottama, la Personne suprême, le plus haut des êtres ? Explique-moi tout cela selon ta propre réalisation, et expose aussi, pas à pas, l’ordre de conduite par lequel on y parvient.»
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a disciplined spiritual inquiry: attainment of the Supreme Person is not presented as accidental but as something approached through an ordered course of conduct (pravṛtti) grounded in direct realization and reliable instruction. It emphasizes sequential practice, ethical alignment, and experiential understanding rather than mere speculation.
King Janamejaya addresses the sage and requests a clear, step-by-step explanation of how a changeable, conditioned human being can attain Bhagavān Puruṣottama. He asks the sage to speak from what he has truly known and to outline the proper progression of practice and conduct.