Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

महावराहसृष्टा च पिण्डोत्पत्ति: पुरातनी । प्रवृत्ती च निवृत्ती च यो यथा परिकल्पित:

Transliteration

mahāvarāhasṛṣṭā ca piṇḍotpattiḥ purātanī | pravṛttī ca nivṛttī ca yo yathā parikalpitaḥ ||

Translation

ଶୌନକ କହିଲେ—ଦେହଧାରୀ ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କର ଏହି ପୁରାତନ ପିଣ୍ଡୋତ୍ପତ୍ତି ମହାବରାହଙ୍କ ସୃଷ୍ଟି ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ; ଏବଂ ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତି ଓ ନିବୃତ୍ତି—ଏହି ଦୁଇ ପଥ—ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକଙ୍କ ସ୍ୱଭାବ ଓ ସ୍ଥିତି ଅନୁସାରେ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ ହୋଇଛି।

Word by Word

• महावराहसृष्टा: created by the great boar (Varāha)
• महावराहसृष्टा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावराहसृष्टा (महावराह + सृष्टा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पिण्डोत्पत्तिः: the origin/production of the body (embryonic mass)
• पिण्डोत्पत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डोत्पत्ति (पिण्ड + उत्पत्ति)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरातनी: ancient, primeval
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रवृत्तिः: engagement (in action/worldly activity)
• प्रवृत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• निवृत्तिः: withdrawal (cessation/renunciation)
• निवृत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यः: who/which
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as, in whatever manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• परिकल्पितः: arranged/ordained, prescribed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-√कॢप् (परिकल्पित)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शौनक (Śaunaka)
• महावराह (Mahāvarāha / Varāha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharma as having two legitimate orientations—pravṛtti (engaged duty and action) and nivṛtti (withdrawal and renunciation)—and suggests that these are not one-size-fits-all but are prescribed according to a person’s nature and proper role.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śaunaka introduces a doctrinal point within Śānti Parva’s reflective discourse: he invokes the primeval, divinely grounded origin of embodied existence (linked to the Great Boar) and connects it to the ordered establishment of life-paths, setting up discussion on how action and renunciation are to be understood and practiced.