Shloka 12

Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank

Devanagari script

ईश्वरो हि जगत्स्रष्टा प्रभुनोातियणो विराट्‌

Transliteration

īśvaro hi jagatsraṣṭā prabhur nārāyaṇo virāṭ

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ସର୍ବବ୍ୟାପୀ ବିରାଟ୍ ନାରାୟଣ ପ୍ରଭୁ ହିଁ ଜଗତର ସ୍ରଷ୍ଟା ଓ ପରମ ଅଧିପତି। ତାଙ୍କ ଶାସନରେ ହିଁ ବିଶ୍ୱ-ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ଅଟୁଟ; ଧର୍ମାଚରଣ ମଧ୍ୟ ସ୍ରଷ୍ଟାଙ୍କ ଇଚ୍ଛା-ନିୟମ ସହ ସମନ୍ୱିତ।

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• जगत्-स्रष्टा: creator of the world
• जगत्-स्रष्टा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्स्रष्टृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अतियणः: the exceedingly swift/impetuous one
• अतियणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतियण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विराट्: Virāṭ (the cosmic being)
• विराट्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Īśvara
• Nārāyaṇa
• Virāṭ
• Jagat (the universe)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts that the supreme Lord—identified as Nārāyaṇa and the cosmic Virāṭ—is the creator and ruler of the universe, grounding dharma in a divinely ordered cosmos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana, as narrator, states a doctrinal point within Śānti Parva’s instruction: the discussion turns to the nature of ultimate authority and creation, identifying the supreme principle as Nārāyaṇa/ Virāṭ.