Shloka 3

Prāyaścitta-vidhāna: Tapas, Dāna, Vrata, and Proportional Expiation (प्रायश्चित्तविधानम्)

Devanagari script

ऋषयस्तु व्रतपरा: समागम्य पुरा विभुम्‌ । धर्म पप्रच्छुरासीनमादिकाले प्रजापतिम्‌

Transliteration

ṛṣayas tu vrataparāḥ samāgamya purā vibhum | dharmaṃ papracchur āsīnam ādikāle prajāpatiṃ ||

Translation

Вьяса сказал: В древние времена мудрецы, стойкие в своих обетах, собрались и приблизились к Верховному Владыке. В начале творения они спросили сидящего Праджапати о дхарме — стремясь постичь первоосновное правило праведного поведения, на котором держится мир.

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• व्रतपराः: devoted to vows/observances
• व्रतपराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रतपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समागम्य: having approached/met
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम्
• Form: Lyap (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पुरा: formerly/once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• विभुम्: the mighty one/lord
• विभुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma (righteousness/duty)
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पप्रच्छुः: asked/inquired
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• आसीनम्: seated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आस्
• Form: Kta (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आदिकाले: in the primordial time/beginning
• आदिकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदिकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रजापतिम्: Prajāpati (lord of creatures)
• प्रजापतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• ṛṣayaḥ (sages)
• Vibhu (the Supreme Lord)
• Prajāpati

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is presented as a primordial, world-sustaining principle worth seeking from the highest authority; disciplined seekers (ṛṣis) approach the source of creation to understand right conduct and order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa frames an ancient scene: vow-observant sages gather and approach Prajāpati (the progenitor), seated at the dawn of time, and ask him to explain dharma.