Shloka 1

Vyāsa’s Vision, the Power of Bhāgavatam, and the Arrest of Aśvatthāmā

Devanagari script

शौनक उवाच निर्गते नारदे सूत भगवान् बादरायण: । श्रुतवांस्तदभिप्रेतं तत: किमकरोद्विभु: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śaunaka uvāca nirgate nārade sūta bhagavān bādarāyaṇaḥ śrutavāṁs tad-abhipretaṁ tataḥ kim akarod vibhuḥ

Translation

శౌనకుడు పలికెను—ఓ సూతా! నారదుడు వెళ్లిన తరువాత భగవాన్ బాదరాయణుడైన వ్యాసదేవుడు ఆ భావమంతా విన్నాడు; ఆ విభువు తరువాత ఏమి చేసెను?

Synonyms

• शौनकः: Śaunaka
• शौनकः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• निर्गते: when (he) had departed
• निर्गते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• नारदे: in/when Nārada (had gone)
• नारदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (with 'nirgate')

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the venerable one
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण

• बादरायणः: Bādarāyaṇa (Vyāsa)
• बादरायणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बादरायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुतवान्: having heard
• श्रुतवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्यय (Perfect active participle), परस्मैपद; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्-अभिप्रेतम्: that intention/purport
• तत्-अभिप्रेतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अभिप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (that which is intended), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kala/krama (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरम् (then/thereafter)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• अकरोत्: did
• अकरोत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• विभुः: the mighty one
• विभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (epithet of Vyāsa)

Purport

In this chapter the clue for describing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is picked up as Mahārāja Parīkṣit is miraculously saved in the womb of his mother. This was caused by Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā), Ācārya Droṇa’s son, who killed the five sons of Draupadī while they were asleep, for which he was punished by Arjuna. Before commencing the great epic Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Vyāsadeva realized the whole truth by trance in devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Sūta Gosvāmī
• Nārada Muni
• Bādarāyaṇa (Vyāsadeva)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Narada’s instruction to Vyasa?

This verse points to Nārada’s deeper purport (abhiprāya) given to Vyāsa—guidance that leads Vyāsa toward composing and presenting pure bhakti-centered revelation for the welfare of all.

Why did Śaunaka ask Sūta what Vyāsa did after Nārada left?

Because the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya wanted to hear the crucial turning point: how Vyāsa responded to Nārada’s counsel and what action he took that culminated in the Bhāgavata’s message.

Practical application of understanding a guru’s ‘abhiprāya’ (inner intention) in modern life?

Seek not only the words but the purpose behind spiritual guidance—then act on it sincerely; real progress comes from aligning one’s life with the heart of the instruction, not merely its outer form.