Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

पितामहाय शुद्धाय युगादौ लोकधारिणे । पितामहश्न दक्षाय धर्ममेतं पुरा ददौ

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

pitāmahāya śuddhāya yugādau lokadhāriṇe |

pitāmahaś ca dakṣāya dharmam etaṃ purā dadau, nareśvara ||

Translation

વૈશમ્પાયન બોલ્યા—હે નરેશ! યુગના આરંભે લોકધારક શુદ્ધ પિતામહ બ્રહ્માને નારાયણે આ ધર્મ આપ્યો. ત્યારબાદ પ્રાચીન કાળમાં એ જ પિતામહે આ ધર્મ દક્ષને પ્રદાન કર્યો—આ રીતે ધર્મની આ પુણ્ય પરંપરા સ્થપાઈ.

Word by Word

• {'vaiśampāyana uvāca': 'Vaiśampāyana said', 'pitāmahāya': 'to Pitāmaha

• to the Grandfather (Brahmā)', 'śuddhāya': 'to the pure one

• of pure nature', 'yugādau': 'at the beginning of the yuga/age

• at creation’s outset', 'lokadhāriṇe': 'to the supporter/sustainer of the worlds', 'pitāmahaḥ': 'Pitāmaha (Brahmā)', 'dakṣāya': 'to Dakṣa (Prajāpati)', 'dharmaṃ': 'dharma

• righteous order, duty, sacred law', 'etaṃ': 'this (very)', 'purā': 'formerly

• in ancient times', 'dadau': 'gave

• taught', 'nareśvara': 'O lord of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Nārāyaṇa
• Dakṣa (Prajāpati)
• Yuga (cosmic age)
• Dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is presented as a primordial, authoritative teaching transmitted through a sacred lineage: from Nārāyaṇa at the dawn of creation to Brahmā, and from Brahmā to Dakṣa. The ethical point is that dharma is not arbitrary; it is grounded in cosmic order and preserved through responsible instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains the origin and early transmission of a particular dharma being discussed: Nārāyaṇa instructs Brahmā at the beginning of the yuga, and Brahmā then teaches Dakṣa, establishing the tradition’s pedigree for the listener (the king).