Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank
जगौ यद् भगवान् व्यासो राज्ञ: पारिक्षितस्य वै । सूतपुत्रने कहा--शौनकजी! मैं तुमसे वेदतुल्य प्रमाणभूत सारा पुरातन वृत्तान्त कहूँगा
jagau yad bhagavān vyāso rājñaḥ pārīkṣitasya vai | sūtaputrāya kathā—śaunakajī! ahaṃ tubhyaṃ vedatulyapramāṇabhūtaṃ sarvaṃ purātana-vṛttāntaṃ vakṣyāmi, yaṃ bhagavān vyāsaḥ rājñe janamejayāya śrāvayāmāsa | manaś caiva api tato bhūtam avyaktaguṇa-lakṣaṇam | nārāyaṇa-paraḥ kālo jyotiṣām ayanaṃ ca yat ||
ପାରିକ୍ଷିତବଂଶୀୟ ରାଜାଙ୍କୁ ଭଗବାନ୍ ବ୍ୟାସ ଯେ ପୁରାତନ ବୃତ୍ତାନ୍ତ ଗାଇ କହିଥିଲେ, ସେହି କଥା ମୁଁ କହୁଛି। ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତ ଗୁଣ-ଲକ୍ଷଣବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ‘ମନ’ ନାମକ ଭୂତ, କାଳ, ଏବଂ ଜ୍ୟୋତିମାନଙ୍କ (ନକ୍ଷତ୍ରାଦି) ଗତିପଥ—ଏ ସବୁ ନାରାୟଣଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ହିଁ ଆଶ୍ରିତ।
शौनक उवाच
The verse asserts a theological-metaphysical hierarchy: mind (as an unmanifest principle), time, and the motions of the luminaries are not independent ultimate realities; they are grounded in and dependent upon Nārāyaṇa as the supreme support.
Śaunaka frames the transmission of an ancient, Veda-like authoritative account: what Vyāsa conveyed within the royal lineage (Parīkṣit/Janamejaya) and to the Sūta’s son is now being retold, introducing a cosmological teaching centered on Nārāyaṇa.