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Shloka 23

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

Mahābhārata 12.347

पितामहपिता चैव अहमेवात्र कारणम्‌ | इत्येतदुक्त्वा वचनं देवदेवो वृषाकपि:,पितामहका पिता-परदादा भी मैं ही हूँ। मैं ही इस जगत्‌का कारण हूँ। विप्रवर! ऐसी बात कहकर देवाधिदेव भगवान्‌ वराहने वराहपर्वतपर विस्तारपूर्वक पिण्डदान दे पितरोंके रूपमें अपने आपका ही पूजन करके वहीं अन्तर्धान हो गये

pitāmahapitā caiva aham evātra kāraṇam | ity etad uktvā vacanaṁ devadevo vṛṣākapiḥ ||

ナーラダは言った。「我こそは祖父(ブラフマー)の父であり、この世界の因はただ我のみである。」そう語り終えると、神々の神たるヴリシャーカピ(ヴィシュヌ)は、ヴァラーハ山においてピンダダーナ(祖霊への供物奉献)をつぶさに執り行った。ピトリの姿を取り、他ならぬ己自身のみを礼拝して、その場で姿を消した。

पितामहपिताthe father of the grandfather (great-grandfather)
पितामहपिता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह-पिता
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Singular
एवindeed
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
अत्रhere/in this matter
अत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र
कारणम्cause
कारणम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकारण
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
एतत्this (statement)
एतत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उक्त्वाhaving said
उक्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
वचनम्speech/words
वचनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवचन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
देवदेवःGod of gods
देवदेवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेव-देव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वृषाकपिःVṛṣākapi (epithet/name)
वृषाकपिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृषाकपि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

नारद उवाच

N
Nārada
V
Vṛṣākapi (Viṣṇu)
P
Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
P
Pitṛs (ancestors)
V
Varāha (as the deity-form implied in the prose gloss)
V
Varāha-parvata (Varāha-mountain)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that the supreme deity is the ultimate cause—even beyond Brahmā—yet still upholds dharma by performing and honoring ancestral rites. It models humility within supremacy: cosmic sovereignty does not negate ritual responsibility.

Nārada reports that Viṣṇu (called Vṛṣākapi) declares himself the source of all, then performs piṇḍadāna on Varāha-mountain, worshipping himself in the form of the Pitṛs, and finally vanishes from the spot.