Shloka 3

Nārāyaṇasya Guhya-nāmāni Niruktāni (Etymologies of Nārāyaṇa’s Secret Epithets) / नारायणस्य गुह्यनामानि निरुक्तानि

Devanagari script

नारदोथाब्रवीत्‌ प्रीतो ब्रूहि धर्मभूृतां वर । केन त्वां श्रेयसा वत्स योजयामीति हृष्टवत्‌,शुकदेवजीको नारदजीका उपदेश उस समय नारदजीने प्रसन्न होकर कहा--“वत्स! तुम धर्मात्माओंमें श्रेष्ठ हो। बताओ, तुम्हें किस श्रेष्ठ वस्तुकी प्राप्ति कराऊँ?” यह बात उन्होंने बड़े हर्षके साथ कही

Transliteration

nārado ’thābravīt prīto brūhi dharmabhṛtāṃ vara | kena tvāṃ śreyasā vatsa yojayāmīti hṛṣṭavat ||

Translation

नारदोऽथाब्रवीत् प्रीतो ब्रूहि धर्मभृतां वर। केन त्वां श्रेयसा वत्स योजयामीति हृष्टवत्॥

Word by Word

• {'nāradaḥ': 'Narada (the divine sage)', 'atha': 'then

• thereupon', 'abravīt': 'said

• spoke', 'prītaḥ': 'pleased

• delighted', 'brūhi': 'tell (imperative)', 'dharmabhṛtām': 'of the upholders/bearers of dharma (genitive plural)', 'vara': 'best

• excellent one', 'kena': 'by what? with what?', 'tvām': 'you (accusative)', 'śreyasā': 'with the highest good

• with what is truly beneficial (instrumental of śreyas)', 'vatsa': 'dear child

• beloved one', 'yojayāmi': 'shall connect/lead/bring (you) to

• shall unite (you) with', 'iti': 'thus', 'hṛṣṭavat': 'joyfully

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Narada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical-spiritual priority of śreyas—what is truly and ultimately beneficial—over merely pleasant or immediate gains. It frames dharma as something to be upheld and seeks clarity on the seeker’s highest aim before offering guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s narration, the sage Narada, pleased, addresses the interlocutor as foremost among dharma-bearers and asks what supreme good the person wishes to attain, offering to help bring about that highest benefit.