Shloka 82

Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank

Devanagari script

नारायणपरं सत्यमृतं नारायणात्मकम्‌ । नारायणपरो धर्म: पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभ:,सत्यके परम लक्ष्य नारायण ही हैं। ऋत नारायणका ही स्वरूप है। जिसके आचरणसे पुनर्जन्मकी प्राप्ति नहीं होती, उस निवृत्तिप्रधान धर्मके भी चरम लक्ष्य भगवान्‌ नारायण ही हैं

Transliteration

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca: nārāyaṇaparaṃ satyam ṛtaṃ nārāyaṇātmakam | nārāyaṇaparo dharmaḥ punarāvṛttidurlabhaḥ ||

Translation

नारायणपरं सत्यं ऋतं नारायणात्मकम् । नारायणपरो धर्मः पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभः ॥

Word by Word

नारायणपरम्having Nārāyaṇa as the highest (supreme)

सत्यम्truth

ऋतम्cosmic order; rightness

नारायणात्मकम्of the nature/essence of Nārāyaṇa

नारायणपरःhaving Nārāyaṇa as the highest

धर्मःdharma; righteous duty/law

पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभःfor which return (rebirth) is hard to obtain; i.e., where rebirth does not occur

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Nārāyaṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the ultimate foundation and goal of truth (satya), cosmic order (ṛta), and even the liberating renunciant path (nivṛtti-dharma) is Nārāyaṇa. Ethical life and liberation are presented as culminating in orientation toward the Supreme.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vaiśaṃpāyana states a doctrinal summary: all highest principles—truth, cosmic order, and the dharma that leads beyond rebirth—are ultimately centered on Nārāyaṇa.