Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

उपदिश्य ततो धर्म ब्रह्मणेडमिततेजसे

Transliteration

upadiśya tato dharma brahmaṇeḍamitatejase

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അവനെ ധർമ്മത്തിൽ ഉപദേശിച്ച ശേഷം, അളവറ്റ തേജസ്സുള്ള ആ ബ്രാഹ്മണനോടു ഈ ഉപദേശം പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• उपदिश्य: having instructed / after teaching
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√दिश्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-भाव (active sense)

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)

• धर्मम्: dharma; righteousness; duty
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahmā / to the Brahman (priest/sage)
• ब्रह्मणे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (stem: brahman-), Dative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अमिततेजसे: to (one) of immeasurable splendor
• अमिततेजसे: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित-तेजस्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (stem: tejas-), Dative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• brāhmaṇa (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharma as something to be deliberately taught and transmitted: ethical order is preserved through instruction given to a qualified recipient (a brāhmaṇa of great spiritual potency).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a prior section of dharma-teaching has been delivered; now the speaker turns to address a brāhmaṇa directly, introducing the next statement (‘this’) as a continuation of the instruction.