Shloka 14

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

शयानममितात्मानं पद्मोत्पलनिकेतनम्‌ | त्वमेक: सर्वभूतेशं ब्रह्माणमुपतिष्ठसि

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | śayānam amitātmānaṃ padmotpalaniketanam | tvam ekaḥ sarvabhūteśaṃ brahmāṇam upatiṣṭhasi ||

Translation

ପଦ୍ମ ଓ ଉତ୍ପଳର ନିକେତନରେ ଶୟନ କରୁଥିବା, ଅମିତାତ୍ମା ସର୍ବଭୂତେଶ୍ୱର ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଙ୍କୁ ତୁମେ ଏକା ହିଁ ସାନ୍ନିଧ୍ୟରେ ରହି ସେବା-ଉପାସନା କର।

Word by Word

• शयानम्: lying, reclining
• शयानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शय (धातु) → शयान (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमितात्मानम्: him whose self is immeasurable (the infinite-souled one)
• अमितात्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमितात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पद्मोत्पलनिकेतनम्: one whose abode is (among) lotuses and water-lilies
• पद्मोत्पलनिकेतनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + उत्पल + निकेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• एकः: alone, single
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतेशम्: the lord of all beings
• सर्वभूतेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूतेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपतिष्ठसि: you attend upon / worship / serve
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Brahmā
• sun (sūrya)
• fire (agni)
• wind (vāyu)
• moon (candra)
• sky/space (antarikṣa)
• earth (pṛthivī)
• cosmic ocean (ekārṇava)
• devas
• asuras
• nāgas
• lotus (padma)
• waterlily (utpala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when all cosmic supports dissolve, steadfast devotion and service to the supreme principle (here expressed as attendance upon Brahmā, the Lord of beings) remains meaningful; it highlights impermanence of the world and the enduring value of worshipful duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker describes the scene of mahāpralaya: the universe collapses into the primeval ocean, gods, asuras, and nāgas are destroyed, and in that desolation only ‘you’ remain, attending upon the reclining Brahmā in a lotus/waterlily abode.