Shloka 3

धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच शृणु राजन्‌ यथा<<चष्ट फाल्गुनस्य हरि: प्रभु: । प्रसन्नात्मा55त्मनो नाम्नां निरुक्त गुणकर्मजम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | śṛṇu rājan yathā caṣṭa phālgunasya hariḥ prabhuḥ | prasannātmā ātmano nāmnāṁ niruktaṁ guṇa-karma-jam ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ୍, ଶୁଣ। ସର୍ବାଧିପତି ପ୍ରଭୁ ହରି ପ୍ରସନ୍ନଚିତ୍ତ ହୋଇ ଫାଲ୍ଗୁଣ (ଅର୍ଜୁନ)ଙ୍କୁ ନିଜ ନାମମାନଙ୍କର ଗୁଣ ଓ କର୍ମାନୁସାରେ ଯେପରି ନିରୁକ୍ତି ବ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟା କରିଥିଲେ, ସେହିପରି ମୁଁ ତୁମକୁ ଯଥାର୍ଥ କହୁଛି—ଶୁଣ।

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शृणु: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• चष्ट: explains, tells
• Type: Verb
• Root: चक्ष्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• फाल्गुनस्य: of Phalguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुनस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu/Krishna)
• हरिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभुः: the Lord, master
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रसन्नात्मा: with a pleased mind; gracious
• प्रसन्नात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्नात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of himself, his own
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• नाम्नाम्: of (his) names
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• निरुक्तम्: etymological explanation, derivation
• निरुक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरुक्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गुणकर्मजम्: arising from qualities and actions
• गुणकर्मजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणकर्मज
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Hari (Śrī Hari)
• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• King (rājan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a method of understanding the Divine: the Lord’s names are not arbitrary but are to be interpreted through His guṇas (attributes) and karmas (deeds). This links devotion (remembering names) with ethical-theological reflection (what those names signify in conduct and character).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses the king and introduces a forthcoming discourse: he will recount how Lord Hari, pleased with Arjuna (Phālguna), explained the derivations and meanings of His own names. This serves as a preface to a section focused on the significance of divine epithets.