Shloka 16

Cāturhotra as Inner Sacrifice (Yoga-Yajña) and Nārāyaṇa Recitation

Devanagari script

ऋषचश्नाप्यत्र शंसन्ति नारायणविदो जना: । नारायणाय देवाय यदविन्दन्‌ पशून्‌ पुरा

Transliteration

ṛṣayaś cāpy atra śaṃsanti nārāyaṇavido janāḥ | nārāyaṇāya devāya yad avindan paśūn purā ||

Translation

Те, кто поистине знает Нараяну, приводят здесь и свидетельство риши: в древние времена, ради достижения божественного Нараяны, преданные мужи подчинили себе «зверей» — то есть обуздали неукротимые чувства. Этот стих изображает духовное восхождение как нравственную дисциплину: преданность доказывается не словами, а воздержанием и внутренним самоуправлением, обращённым к Богу.

Word by Word

• ऋचः: Vedic verses (ṛks)
• ऋचः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक: ऋच्/ऋचा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

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

• श्नापि: they obtain / they reach
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्ना (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• शंसन्ति: they praise / they proclaim
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नारायणविदः: knowers of Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायणविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नारायणाय: to/for Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• देवाय: to/for the god
• देवाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• यत्: which (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अविन्दन्: they found / they obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (लभे/विन्दते) (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पशून्: animals
• पशून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुरा: formerly / in ancient times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Ṛṣis (seers)
• Nārāyaṇa-vids (knowers of Nārāyaṇa)
• Paśus (animals/senses)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Devotion to Nārāyaṇa is validated through disciplined mastery of the senses; the ‘animals’ to be subdued are the sense-forces that otherwise drag the mind outward. The verse appeals to ṛṣi-authority to present self-restraint as a form of inner sacrifice directed to God.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker supports a teaching about yoga-like sacrifice by citing what the seers and Nārāyaṇa-knowers say: in ancient times devotees, seeking Nārāyaṇa, ‘obtained/subdued the paśus’—understood as bringing the senses under control as part of spiritual practice.