Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

ऋग्वेदपाठपठितं व्रतमेतद्धि दुश्चरम्‌ । सुपर्णाच्चाप्यधिगतो धर्म एब सनातन:

Transliteration

ṛgvedapāṭhapaṭhitaṁ vratam etad dhi duścaram | suparṇāc cāpy adhigato dharma eṣa sanātanaḥ ||

Translation

ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ວັດຕະປະຕິບັດນີ້ ອີງໃສ່ການສວດແລະການສຶກສາພຣະຣິກເວດ (Ṛgveda) ແທ້ໆແລ້ວເປັນສິ່ງທີ່ປະພຶດຍາກ. ແລະທຳອັນເປັນນິລັນດອນນີ້ ກໍໄດ້ຮຽນຮູ້ມາຈາກສຸປັນນະ (ກະຣຸດ) ດ້ວຍ».

Word by Word

• ऋग्वेदपाठपठितम्: recited as the recitation of the Rigveda
• ऋग्वेदपाठपठितम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋग्वेदपाठपठित (पठ् धातु, क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दुश्चरम्: hard to perform
• दुश्चरम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुश्चर (दुष् + चर, विशेषण)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सुपर्णात्: from Suparṇa (Garuda)
• सुपर्णात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अधिगतः: obtained, learned
• अधिगतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिगत (अधि + गम् धातु, क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Ṛgveda
• Suparṇa (Garuḍa)
• vrata (observance/vow)
• sanātana-dharma (eternal dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that true dharma is both scripturally grounded (linked to Ṛgvedic recitation/study) and demanding in practice; it is presented as sanātana—perennial and authoritative—also transmitted through revered sources such as Suparṇa (Garuḍa).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, continuing the discourse in Śānti Parva, underscores the difficulty of a particular vow/discipline associated with Vedic study and notes its traditional pedigree by stating that this eternal dharma was also learned from Suparṇa.