Shloka 21

ययातिपतनम् — Yayāti’s Fall and the Offer of Dharma

Nārada’s Account

Devanagari script

विमानपाला: शतशः: स्वर्गद्वाराभिरक्षिण: | पृष्टा आसनपालाश्न न जानीमेत्यथाब्रुवन्‌

Transliteration

vimānapālāḥ śataśaḥ svargadvārābhirakṣiṇaḥ | pṛṣṭā āsanapālāś ca na jānīmety athābruvan ||

Translation

ଶତଶଃ ବିମାନପାଳ, ସ୍ୱର୍ଗଦ୍ୱାରର ପ୍ରହରୀ ଓ ସିଂହାସନପାଳମାନଙ୍କୁ ପଚାରାଗଲା; କିନ୍ତୁ ସମସ୍ତେ ଏକେ ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଲେ— “ଆମେ ଏହାଙ୍କୁ ଜାଣୁନାହୁଁ।”

Word by Word

• विमानपालाः: guards of aerial cars (vimānas)
• विमानपालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमानपाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शतशः: by hundreds; in hundreds
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस्

• स्वर्गद्वाराभिरक्षिणः: guards/protectors of heaven's gate
• स्वर्गद्वाराभिरक्षिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गद्वाराभिरक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पृष्टाः: having been asked; when asked
• पृष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आसनपालाः: guards of the seat/throne
• आसनपालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसनपाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• जानीम: we know
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present (Lat), First, Plural, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus; 'so'
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अब्रुवन्: they said
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Svarga (heaven)
• svargadvāra (gates of heaven)
• vimāna (celestial chariots/vehicles)
• āsana (throne/seat)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Status and proximity to power (even in heaven) do not ensure true recognition; dharmic worth is not validated by external rank but by inner merit and rightful conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group seeks identification or information and questions various celestial functionaries—guards of vimānas, the gates of heaven, and the throne—yet all deny knowing the persons in question, heightening the sense of mystery and testing assumptions about fame and access.