Shloka 4

Adhyāya 352: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Saṃvāda — Uñchavrata-niścaya

Dialogue and the Resolve to Practice Uñchavrata

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत्वा च गुरवे व्यासाय विदितात्मने । तपोयुक्ताय दान्ताय वन्द्याय परमर्षये

Transliteration

namaskṛtvā ca gurave vyāsāya viditātmane | tapoyuktāya dāntāya vandyāya paramarṣaye ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: Поклонившись моему учителю Вьясе — самопознающему, преданному тапасу, обуздавшему чувства, достойному почитания, высшему провидцу, — я изложу тебе учение о всесовершенном Вселенском Атмане, Пуруше (Viśvātman Puruṣa), дабы стало ясно, как происхождение многих существ именуется покоящимся в одном-едином Лице.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'namaskṛtvā', 'definition': 'having saluted

• having bowed in reverence'}, {'term': 'guru', 'definition': 'teacher

• spiritual preceptor'}, {'term': 'vyāsa', 'definition': 'Vyāsa (Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana), sage and compiler of the Mahābhārata'}, {'term': 'viditātmane', 'definition': 'to one who has known the Self

• self-realized'}, {'term': 'tapo-yuktāya', 'definition': 'endowed with tapas

• devoted to austerity and disciplined practice'}, {'term': 'dāntāya', 'definition': 'to the self-controlled

• one who has subdued the senses'}, {'term': 'vandyāya', 'definition': 'worthy of veneration

• deserving homage'}, {'term': 'paramarṣaye', 'definition': 'to the supreme ṛṣi

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a metaphysical explanation: although countless beings arise, their ultimate source can be described as one Universal Person/Self. The speaker grounds this teaching in reverence for a self-realized, disciplined guru, implying that such knowledge is transmitted through ethical restraint, tapas, and right guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana begins a doctrinal exposition in the Śānti Parva by first offering salutations to his teacher Vyāsa, praising his spiritual qualifications (self-knowledge, austerity, self-control). He then announces his intent to explain how many beings can be said to originate from a single principle/person.