Shloka 24

Devanagari script

प्राहुर्नारायणं देवं यं विश्वस्य परायणम्‌

Transliteration

prāhur nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ yaṃ viśvasya parāyaṇam

Translation

प्राहुर्नारायणं देवं यं विश्वस्य परायणम्।

Word by Word

• प्राहुः: they said / they declare
• प्राहुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विश्वस्य: of the universe / of all
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• परायणम्: the supreme refuge / ultimate resort
• परायणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परायण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nārāyaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse affirms Nārāyaṇa as the highest divine principle: the universe’s ultimate refuge and final goal. Ethically, it frames dharma as grounded in a transcendent source, encouraging surrender, trust, and orientation of life toward the highest good.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, Bhīṣma—speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira—cites received tradition (“they declare”) to identify Nārāyaṇa as the supreme Lord, establishing a theological foundation for the teachings that follow.