Shloka 85

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

एवं हि स महाभागो नारदो गुरवे मम । श्वेतानां यतिनां चाह एकान्तगतिमव्ययाम्‌

Transliteration

evaṁ hi sa mahābhāgo nārado gurave mama | śvetānāṁ yatināṁ cāha ekāntagatim avyayām ||

Translation

ଏଭଳି ମହାଭାଗ ନାରଦ ମୋର ଗୁରୁ ବ୍ୟାସଙ୍କୁ ଶ୍ୱେତବସ୍ତ୍ରଧାରୀ ଗୃହସ୍ଥମାନଙ୍କ ଓ ଯତିମାନଙ୍କ—ଉଭୟଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ—ଅବିନଶ୍ୱର ଏକାନ୍ତ-ଗତିର ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରିଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाभागः: the greatly fortunate (one)
• महाभागः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरवे: to the teacher
• गुरवे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• श्वेतानाम्: of the white(-clad)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• यतिनाम्: of ascetics
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• आह: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एकान्तगतिम्: the solitary/absolute course (final path)
• एकान्तगतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकान्तगति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अव्ययाम्: imperishable
• अव्ययाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārada
• Vyāsa
• śvetāḥ (white-clad practitioners/householders)
• yatayaḥ (ascetics/renunciants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse points to an imperishable 'ekānta-gati'—a final, exclusive spiritual course grounded in inner withdrawal and single-pointed pursuit of liberation—presented as applicable across outward modes of life, whether one is a white-clad practitioner/householder or an ascetic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that the sage Nārada instructed Vyāsa (the narrator’s teacher), explaining the enduring highest destination or path associated with different life-styles—those marked by white clothing and those of ascetic striving—within the broader Shānti Parva discourse on dharma and liberation.