Shloka 17

Nāga–Nāgabhāryā Saṃvāda: Varṇa-Dharma, Gṛhastha-Discipline, and Mokṣa-Self-Inquiry

Mahābhārata 12.347

Devanagari script

प्रोक्ष्यापसव्यं देवेश: प्राडुमुख: कृतवान्‌ स्वयम्‌ । मर्यादास्थापनार्थ च ततो वचनमुक्तवान्‌

Transliteration

prokṣyāpasavyaṁ deveśaḥ prāṅmukhaḥ kṛtavān svayam | maryādāsthāpanārthaṁ ca tato vacanam uktavān ||

Translation

供物をアパサヴィヤ（apasavya）の作法で灑水し終えると、諸天の主は自ら東に面した。そしてダルマと社会・宗教秩序の正しい境界を定めるため、次の言葉を語った。

Word by Word

• प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• अपसव्यम्: in the leftward (counterclockwise) manner
• अपसव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपसव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवेशः: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ्मुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतवान्: did / performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्तवतु (past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• मर्यादा: of propriety/limits (dharma-boundary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• स्थापनार्थम्: for the purpose of establishing
• स्थापनार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थापनार्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• वचनम्: a statement/word
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उक्तवान्: said / uttered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्तवतु (past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Deveśa (the Lord of the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is upheld not only by intention but also by correctly established norms (maryādā) and disciplined ritual action; divine authority is portrayed as instituting boundaries to preserve ethical and social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes the Lord performing a ritual act of sprinkling in the apasavya manner, then turning to face east and delivering an authoritative statement meant to establish or reaffirm dharmic boundaries.