Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

नामश्रि: कीर्तितिस्तस्य केशवस्य महात्मन: । पृष्टवान्‌ केशवं राजन्‌ फाल्गुन: परवीरहा

Transliteration

nāmaśrīḥ kīrtitis tasya keśavasya mahātmanaḥ | pṛṣṭavān keśavaṃ rājan phālgunaḥ paravīrahā naraśvara |

Translation

ହେ ନରେଶ୍ୱର! ଯେ ଶୁଭ ନାମ ଓ କୀର୍ତ୍ତି ଦ୍ୱାରା ମହାତ୍ମା କେଶବଙ୍କୁ କୀର୍ତ୍ତନ କରାଯାଏ, ଶତ୍ରୁବୀର-ସଂହାରକ ଫାଲ୍ଗୁଣ (ଅର୍ଜୁନ) ସେହି ବିଷୟରେ କେଶବଙ୍କୁ ଏଭଳି ପଚାରିଲେ।

Word by Word

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीः: splendour/fortune
• श्रीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कीर्तितिः: fame/praise
• कीर्तितिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्तिति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• केशवस्य: of Keshava (Krishna)
• केशवस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पृष्टवान्: asked
• पृष्टवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Masculine, Nominative

• केशवम्: Keshava (as object)
• केशवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• फाल्गुनः: Phalguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परवीरहा: slayer of enemy-heroes
• परवीरहा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परवीरहन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• Rājan / Nareśvara (the king, i.e., Janamejaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical-religious value of kīrtana—remembering and praising the great-souled Keśava through his auspicious names—presenting reverent inquiry as a legitimate path to understanding divine qualities.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the frame narration, Vaiśampāyana addresses the king (Janamejaya) and introduces that Arjuna (Phālguna), famed as a destroyer of enemy champions, questioned Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) about the names and renown by which he is praised.