Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

एवमेष महान्‌ धर्म आद्यो राजन्‌ सनातन: । दुरविज्ञियो दुष्करश्न सात्वतैर्धार्यते सदा

Transliteration

evam eṣa mahān dharma ādyō rājan sanātanaḥ | duravijñeyo duṣkaraś ca sātvatair dhāryate sadā, rājan ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「かくして、王よ、これこそは原初にして偉大なるダルマ、永遠に連綿と続くものだ。他の者には悟りがたく、実践もまた困難である。されど主に帰依するサートヴァタたちは、常にこのダルマを護持する。」

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteous law
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आद्यः: primeval, original
• आद्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सनातनः: eternal, ancient
• सनातनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुरविज्ञेयः: hard to be known/understood
• दुरविज्ञेयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरविज्ञेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुष्करः: difficult to do/perform
• दुष्करः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• सात्वतैः: by the Sātvatas (devotees of Vāsudeva)
• सात्वतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्वत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• धार्यते: is borne/maintained/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, Passive, Third, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājan (the king, i.e., Janamejaya as listener)
• Sātvatas (devotees of Vāsudeva/Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that the highest, ancient Dharma is both subtle (hard to comprehend) and demanding (hard to practice), and that steadfast devotees of the Lord are the ones who consistently sustain and embody it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, addressing the king (Janamejaya), concludes or reinforces an instruction on Dharma by characterizing it as primordial and eternal, noting its difficulty for ordinary people, and highlighting that the Sātvatas (the Lord’s devotees) continually uphold it.