Shloka 10

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

सम्मित: सामवेदेन पुरैवादियुगे कृत: । धार्यते स्वयमीशेन राजन्‌ नारायणेन च

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | sammitāḥ sāmavedena puraivādiyuge kṛtāḥ | dhāryate svayam īśena rājan nārāyaṇena ca ||

Translation

सम्मितः सामवेदेन पुरैवादियुगे कृतः। धार्यते स्वयमीशेन राजन् नारायणेन च॥

Word by Word

• सम्मितः: equal/commensurate (with)
• सम्मितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्मित (सम् + मि/मा धातु से क्त; ‘मित/मापित/समतुल्य’)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सामवेदेन: with/by the Sāmaveda
• सामवेदेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामवेद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पुरा: formerly, in ancient times
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• आदि-युगे: in the primordial age
• आदि-युगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदियुग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कृतः: made/established
• कृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धार्यते: is borne/maintained
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धारणे)
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

• स्वयम्: by oneself, personally
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• ईशेन: by the Lord
• ईशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नारायणेन: by Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārāyaṇa
• Sāmaveda
• Rājan (the King, i.e., the listener addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is presented as Veda-aligned and timeless: it is not a new human invention but an ancient, primordial order, ultimately upheld by the supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa. This frames ethical duty as grounded in sacred revelation and cosmic governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, while recounting teachings in the Śānti Parva, addresses the king and legitimizes the discussed dharma by linking it to the Sāmaveda and to the earliest age, adding that Nārāyaṇa Himself sustains it—thereby strengthening the authority and sanctity of the instruction.