Shloka 50

Pitāmaha-sabhā-varṇana & Hariścandra-māhātmya

Description of Brahmā’s Assembly and the Eminence of Hariścandra

Devanagari script

नागा: सुपर्णा: पशव: पितामहमुपासते । स्थावरा जड़माश्वैव महा भूतास्तथापरे

Transliteration

nāgāḥ suparṇāḥ paśavaḥ pitāmaham upāsate | sthāvarā jaḍamāś caiva mahābhūtās tathāpare |

Translation

ନାରଦ କହିଲେ—ନାଗ, ସୁପର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଓ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ପଶୁମାନେ ସେଠାରେ ପିତାମହ ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଙ୍କୁ ଉପାସନା କରନ୍ତି। ସେହିପରି ସ୍ଥାବର-ଜଙ୍ଗମ ସତ୍ତା ଓ ଅନ୍ୟ ମହାଭୂତଗଣ ମଧ୍ୟ। ସେହି ସଭାରେ ରାକ୍ଷସ, ପିଶାଚ, ଦାନବ, ଗୁହ୍ୟକ, ନାଗ, ସୁପର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଓ ଉତ୍ତମ ପଶୁମାନେ ନିରନ୍ତର ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରଣାମ କରିବାକୁ ଆସନ୍ତି; ଏବଂ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର, ବରୁଣ, କୁବେର, ଯମ ଓ ପାର୍ବତୀସହିତ ମହାଦେବ ମଧ୍ୟ ନିୟମିତ ଭାବେ ସେଠାକୁ ଆସନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• नागाः: serpents (Nāgas)
• नागाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुपर्णाः: Suparṇas (birds, Garuḍa-class)
• सुपर्णाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पितामहम्: the Grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपासते: worship / attend upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

• स्थावराः: immobile beings
• स्थावराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जडम्: the insentient (inert)
• जडम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जड
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आश्वाः: swift-moving (mobile beings)
• आश्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed / also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महाभूताः: great elements
• महाभूताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Nāgas
• Suparṇas
• Paśus (animals)
• Sthāvaras (immobile beings)
• Mahābhūtas
• Rākṣasas
• Piśācas
• Dānavas
• Guhyakas
• Indra
• Varuṇa
• Kubera
• Yama
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Pārvatī
• the divine assembly hall (sabhā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage emphasizes a cosmic ethic of reverence and ordered harmony: beings of many classes—divine, semi-divine, and non-human—acknowledge Brahmā’s primacy as creator by worship and attendance, illustrating that rightful authority and sacred order are upheld through devotion and respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes the grandeur of the celestial assembly: numerous species and supernatural groups, along with major deities such as Indra, Varuṇa, Kubera, Yama, and Śiva with Pārvatī, regularly come to that sabhā to honor Pitāmaha Brahmā.