Shloka 17
Nārāyaṇopadeśa to Mārkaṇḍeya (Cosmic Self-Identification and Yuga Doctrine) | नारायणोपदेशः
ताक्ष्य उवाच किमन्निहोत्रस्य व्रतं पुराण- माचक्ष्व मे पृच्छतश्चानुरूपे । त्वयानुशिष्टो5हमिहाद्य विद्यां यदग्निहोत्रस्य व्रतं पुराणम्,ताक्ष्यने पूछा--मनोहर रूपवाली देवि! मैं पूछता हूँ कि अग्निहोत्रका प्राचीन नियम क्या है? यह बताओ। तुम्हारे उपदेश करनेपर आज मुझे यहाँ अग्निहोत्रके प्राचीन नियमका ज्ञान हो जाय
tākṣya uvāca: kim agnihotrasya vrataṃ purāṇam ācakṣva me pṛcchataś cānurūpe | tvayānuśiṣṭo 'ham ihādya vidyāṃ yad agnihotrasya vrataṃ purāṇam ||
Tākṣya berkata: “Wahai Dewi, jelaskanlah sesuai pertanyaanku: apakah laku (vrata) kuno Agnihotra itu? Bila engkau mengajariku, semoga hari ini, di sini juga, aku memperoleh pengetahuan tentang aturan yang dihormati sejak dahulu itu.”
ताक्ष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes disciplined inquiry and proper transmission of sacred practice: the seeker requests instruction in an ancient Vedic observance (Agnihotra) and acknowledges that true understanding comes through qualified teaching.
Tākṣya addresses a woman (implied by the Hindi gloss) and asks her to explain the traditional rule/observance of the Agnihotra, requesting a fitting, authoritative instruction so he may gain correct knowledge.